Our Story
We are owned and led by Kat O’Donnell, LCSW (they/she), who holds a multitude of identities that are often shared by other members of the neurodivergent community:
AuDHD — late diagnosed, high masking, & 2E (what they call the “gifted kid to burnt out autistic adult” pipeline)
Invisibly disabled, chronically ill, and living with C-PTSD
LGBTQ+ — queer, bisexual, and a genderqueer woman (which for them means not really identifying with any gender mentally or physically, but also being unable to untangle the experience of being perceived as a woman and the sense of community that womanhood provides in our patriarchal society from their identity)
Kat has practiced as a licensed psychotherapist for over a decade. They worked as a medical social worker and clinical therapist with a specialization in grief, chronic illness, and LGBTQ+ care, before becoming a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) leader. They’re also an experienced trainer in providing inclusive care for transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse individuals. Kat is affirming to all family and parenting types and to individuals of all identities, especially those who have been historically marginalized.
Kat earned their Masters in Social Work from University of Maryland, Baltimore and attended a two-year post-Masters social work leadership fellowship with NYU School of Social Work. Kat completed specialized training in neuro-inclusive autism and ADHD assessments with The Properties of Light and attends ongoing supervision with NeuroPebble, specific to providers offering neuro-affirming diagnostic evaluations. They are a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia (#0904010650) and California (#78956).
Kat is passionate about using the oxford comma, parenthesis, and em dash, collecting art supplies (and making, often unfulfilled, plans to use them!), and channeling their Italian roots when cooking. Their greatest joy is parenting their exceptional neurodivergent toddler and finding thoughtful ways to create a deeply neuro-affirming household. Kat lives with their partner, child, and four pets (two cats, two dogs) in Richmond, VA.
I welcome the opportunity to guide you on your journey of self-discovery. My autism evaluation was deeply affirming, and I would love nothing more than to give that kind of experience to others.
Our Inspiration
Wingspan’s name is inspired by the moth — the too often misunderstood counterpart to the butterfly, with their lived experience existing in the shadows of this world. These unique, resilient beings remind us that our impact and our value are not defined by the experience or perception of others.
Our values reflect the energy of the moth, centering:
Gentleness — We cultivate a soft landing space, intentional process, and affirming environment for those we support.
Individuality — We honor every client as they uniquely are: their identity, path, and all they have to offer themselves and the world.
Curiosity — We meet ourselves and our clients with openness, making space for exploration without judgement or assumption.
Authenticity — We show up as we are, releasing neuro-normative expectations so our clients can do the same.