My Journey: From Misunderstanding to Self-Acceptance

Hello, I’m Solweig Habert (Soly), the founder of Mindwiz. My journey is one of self-discovery, acceptance, and a mission to support neurodivergent individuals and their families. Originally from France, I’ve been living in the United States for the past 19 years. My professional background spans law, linguistics, localization, and internationalization. For years, I worked to support product and service branding, ensuring culturally appropriate translations and concepts for global markets.

Reframing My Identity With Neurodiversity

At 31, my life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and later ADHD. This revelation came after my older son’s ASD and ADHD diagnosis, which would later be followed by my younger son’s diagnosis. This moment sparked an identity crisis that led me to question everything I thought I knew about myself. I realized that what I had always considered my qualities and weaknesses were, in fact, characteristics of my neurodivergent brain. It dawned on me that I had been living in a neurotypical culture with communication codes entirely different from my own – much like living in a foreign country without realizing the cultural differences.

From Crisis to Purpose

This realization led me on a quest for self-understanding. I pursued a master’s degree in high-tech applications in education while continuing to work online. As I homeschooled my children for several years, the gap between their neurodivergent needs and the traditional education system became increasingly apparent. My involvement in my children’s education highlighted the shortcomings of a one-size-fits-all approach. I began creating educational products tailored to the needs of neurodivergent children, realizing that many families face similar challenges. This was the genesis of MindWiz – born from personal experience and a desire to support others on similar journeys.