About Me

Hi all, it’s Jane here! I am a colourful, empathetic, and warm-natured 23-year-old who is currently studying a Bachelor of Health Sciences at Curtin University. Although I was “born and bred” in Perth, Western Australia, my true heritage lies in both Lithuania (my Mum’s side) and the Czech Republic (my Dad’s side) – so we’re talking copious amounts of cabbage, smoked fish and dill at Christmas time! Although I don’t speak a lot of Czech or Lithuanian, I have been learning the French language for over a decade now and have been fortunate enough to have participated in an exchange program in Amiens, France, which was an unforgettable experience!

What are some of my strengths and hobbies?

I would say that my biggest strength is my ability to relate to and foster relationships with others. I believe that I am quite a perceptive and compassionate person and have an innate drive to help others. In terms of my hobbies and interests, the list is infinite! I am a very creative person, so I try to use my spare time to paint, make clothes (before studying at university, I studied fashion design at TAFE) and experiment in the kitchen. I have always loved cooking and trying new foods, so you’ll probably catch me eating some sort of obscure leftovers for lunch! I also love writing poetry and short stories – one day I hope to write a book about my neurodiverse, “atypical” upbringing. Other passions of mine include swimming, going on hikes in nature or long beach walks with my beloved pooch, Kipper, op-shopping, and hanging out with my friends and family.

What do I enjoy learning about?

Even from a very young age, I’ve been extremely interested in learning about human behaviour and psychology. In fact, as an astute yet undoubtably naïve 9-year-old, I was adamant that I, one day, would become a Clinical Psychologist. Alas, my aspirations have deviated slightly since then; after studying Psychology for a couple of years, I decided it wasn’t quite the right fit for me (at least at this stage in my life). My newly adjusted career goal is to become an Occupational Therapist that specialises in working with children with a diagnosis of ADHD and/or ASD. If I’m not deep diving into a “journal article hole” about these topics, I like to learn about anything that I’m interested in. For example, I’ve recently become very into watching documentaries about the Russian Revolution… I have no idea what sparked that one.

Why do I like supporting children with an autism diagnosis and their families?

I find it very personally gratifying to support autistic children and their families; seeing these wonderfully unique kids be so brave every day is truly inspiring. My biggest drive for doing the work that I do as a Support Worker/Therapy Assistant is my super star big sister, who received her ASD diagnosis relatively late in life at 17 years of age (Year 12). Prior to being diagnosed, I watched her attempt to navigate a neurotypical world without any suitable support and have seen first-hand how challenging that has been for her. So, If I can help just one young person with an autism diagnosis feel confident in who they are and encourage them to embrace their quirks and love their amazing brain, then I’m one very happy and humbled human.