Tag Archives: neurodiversity

Roundup: Cribari Bridge, Minute Man Race, Love Your Pet …

Posted on February 19, 2026 | 2 comments

Two important bits of Cribari Bridge news.

First: Representative Town Meeting members from Districts 1, 4 and 9 will hold a public discussion about the bridge next Tuesday (February 24, 7 p.m.; click here for Zoom link).

The session was organized by District 1 rep Matthew Mandell. He says: “Since the original Project Advisory Committee — a formal group of residents and town staff that worked directly with the state Department of Transportation — essentially disbanded years ago, there has been no venue for organized resident thought. or for discussion and collaboration with the DOT. The goal is to find a mutual path forward and solution that works for the residents, town and state.”

Members from other districts are welcome too. (Districts 1, 4 and 9 are closest to the span. Don’t know which district you’re in? Click here for a map.)

Second: The state DOT has opened a 60-day public comment period about the bridge, including its potential renovation or replacement.

Click here for the public comment link. It’s open through April 17. (Hat tips: Annette Norton and Werner Liepolt.)

PS: Don’t forget the DOT’s March 19 public hearing (6 p.m., Town Hall).

The session will “provide the community with an opportunity to learn about the proposed project, and allow a place to provide feedback concerning the proposed improvements.”

Werner Liepolt’s painting of the Cribari Bridge.

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One glimmer of spring: Registration is open for the Minute Man Race.

The 47th annual Women’s League of Westport event — including a 10K run, 5K4un/walk, and Kids’ Fun Run (1/2K and 1K dash) — is April 26, at Compo Beach. It’s one of the biggest community events of the year.

All proceeds benefit the League’s grants program, supporting non-profits across Fairfield County.

Click here for details and registration. Note: Early bird discounts end March 10.

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And just in time for Love Your Pet Day (tomorrow!):

Sweet P Bakery and Team Woofgang & Co. — 2 local non-profits that empower adults with disabilities through job training and employment — are partnering on a “People + Pups Colossal Cookie Box.”

The limited-edition includes 6 great Sweet P Colossal Cookies, plus a bag of Woofgang’s Pupper Nutter Dog Treats.

The result: delicious joy for people and pups, while supporting the shared mission of creating meaningful jobs for adults with disabilities.

But wait! There’s more!

$5 from every People + Pups Box sold will be donated to Westport Animal Shelter Advocates (WASA), another wonderful Westport non-profit.

Click here to order boxes, for your pet (and yourself).

Sweet P Bakery and Woofgang & Co.: arf!

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Wakeman Town Farm’s special Neurodiverse Farmer program begins next month.

Designed for all abilities, it offers a hands-on, sensory-rich experience that encourages exploration, creativity, and learning in a natural setting.

WTF provides a safe, welcoming environment where youngsters connect with animals, garden, and explore the outdoors at their own pace.

The staff is trained to support neurodiverse learners. Activities accommodate a variety of sensory, social and communication styles, encouraging inclusion and self-confidence for children who enjoy feeding animals, planting seeds or  observing nature.

For more information and to register, click here.

Everyone is welcome at Wakeman Town Farm.

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There’s much more happening at Wakeman Town Farm too, of course.

For a full list of activities, for all ages — including spring cooking for homeschool kids, summer camps, a spring floral workshop, a Mediterranean family-style dinner, and lamb “cuddle sessions” — click here.

Wakeman Town Farm’s newest lambs.

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Every Connecticut town is allotted a limited number of “package store” — aka liquor store — licenses.

The number is determined by a town’s population in the last federal census.

Balducci’s package store was attached to the grocery store. But they’re leaving the space occupied by both. They’re selling their package store license.

A new owner needs to find commercially zoned property in Westport to relocate the license to.

A package store occupies around 3,500 square feet. There are a number of vacant commercial properties of that size along the Post Road and downtown. The license must be relocated in Westport; it cannot be moved to another town.

Interested in buying Balducci’s package store license? Contact attorney Jerry Farrell, Jr., by phone (203-774-5002) or email jerry@ctliquorlaw.com.

Want to buy a liquor store license?

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April is Autism Awareness Month.

So be aware: On April 29 (6 p.m., Westport Library), NeuroMind hosts a screening of “Go On” — the award-winning movie by autistic filmmaker, golfer and actor Landon Ashworth.

Afterward, he’ll join NeuroMind co-founders Chelsea Elkind and Lauren Rosenblum for a talkback.

The Clubhouse and the Delamar Westport are co-sponsors. For more information, click here.

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Norwalk-based YL Trapped youth organization — it stands for Young Ladies Taking Responsibility and Portraying Proper Educational Decisions — mentors girls ages 11 to 18.

Participants (referred through school and court systems) build strength, knowledge and self confidence, while forming strong connections within the community.

Founder and CEO Dr. Julia Moore described the program Tuesday’s Westport Rotary Club meeting. Members were impressed — particularly at the news that 90% of the young women go on to college.

Dr. Julia Moore (Hat tip and photos/Dave Matlow)

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TAP Strength founder Dr. EJ Zebro and Dr. Bena Kallick, founder of the Institute for Habits of Mind, have been working together, “integrating a holistic approach to a moving mind.”

Now they’ve contributed a chapter — “Enhancing Mind-Body Awareness” — to the new book Leading with Efficacy. In it, they explain their theoretical framework, and offer examples of how it is “efficacious — in fact, effortless — effort.

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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between February 11 and 17.

One — for a bomb threat made against Coleytown Elementary School — was reported last week on “06880.”

The other was a 36-year-old man, charged with operating a motor vehicle under suspension, failure to obey a stop sign, and 2 counts of failure to appear. He was arrested when an office conducted stop sign enforcement on Kings Highway North, at Ludlow Road. He was released after posting a $10,000 bond.

Westport Police also issued these citations:

  • Texting while driving: 12 citations
  • Traveling unreasonably fast: 5
  • Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
  • Failure to obey traffic control signals: 3
  • Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
  • Failure to renew registration: 2
  • Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 2
  • Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 2
  • Speeding: 1
  • Distracted driving: 1
  • Failure to display lights: 1
  • Failure to obey stop sign: 1
  • Operating a motor vehicle without tint inspection: 1
  • Improper use of markers: 1

If it’s dark, put your lights on!

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Speaking of the Westport Police Department: They and the Rowan Center make a great team. They collaborate often.

This week, the Stamford-based sexual assault resource agency presented local officers with an appreciation basket.

All of us in Westport appreciate both institutions!

Representative from the Westport Police and Rowan Center — with an appreciation basket.

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An abandoned canoe at Riverside Park makes a perfect setting for “Westport … Naturally” photo.

The great Jerri Graham worked doggedly to capture this image.

(PS: Don’t forget: Tomorrow is Love Your Pet Day! See story above.)

(Photo/Jerri Graham)

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And finally … in honor of the upcoming sale of Balducci’s package store license (story above):

(You know what drives us to drink? People who read “06880” every day, yet don’t contribute a dime. Serving up 4-6 stories a day is hard work! Please click here to support our efforts. Thank you all!)

 

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Posted in Environment, Library, Local business, Police

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NeuroMind: Unlocking Neurodiverse “Superpowers”

Posted on July 8, 2025 | 2 comments

For neurodiverse people, “masking” is a way to find acceptance — in social situations, school and the workplace.

Forcing eye contact and making small talk, for example, or hiding repetitive behaviors, enables those on the autism spectrum, people diagnosed with ADHD and others, to navigate a neurotypical world.

But creating a façade, or acting in a way that does not feel authentic, can be difficult, exhausting — even detrimental to emotional health.

Lauren Rosenblum

Lauren Brown Rosenblum and Chelsea Elkind take a different tack. They believe in “neuro-affirmation” — helping neurodivese people of all ages stay true to themselves, and embrace their “superpowers.”

Through individual and group coaching and support, career development, educational consulting, cognitive rehabilitation and more, they do not “improve” clients’ lives.

They prefer to say, “We help get people where they want to go.”

On their own, neurodivergent terms.

The Westport professionals do it through NeuroMind. Their collaboration embraces neurodiversity, prioritizes autonomy, and builds skills and confidence.

Their backgrounds are complementary. Rosenblum — a Staples High School Class of 2010 graduate, who earned a master’s in communication science and disosrders from Columbia University — worked in speech therapy, in New York schools.

Chelsea Elkind

Elkind — a New Jersey native, and competitive gymnast at the University of New Hampshire, where she earned a bachelor’s and master’s in occupational therapy — worked at large hospitals in Chicago and New York.

Both moved to Westport with their families during the pandemic. Rosenblum and her boyfriend (now husband) Jake came to live with her parents for what they thought would be a couple of weeks. They’re still here (in their own home, with one child and another on the way).

Elkind was pregnant. She and her husband had friends and relatives here.

Both have been invigorated by the influx of young families. “It’s like the first year of college,” Rosenblum says. “Everyone is making friends, and doing things together.”

The women met socially a couple of years ago. They share similar interests and work ethics.

Realizing a shared passion, they created NeuroMind.

They and their staff of speech pathologists, occupational therapists and licensed counselors offer a range of services, from executive functioning support for organization and planning, to career coaching, educational readiness, independent living skills and social skills training.

Clients include youngsters to men and women in their 60s and 70s. Some parents of neurodiverse youngsters have realized they may be neurodiverse too.

Neurodivergent “superpowers.”

“There’s a lot of neurotypical ‘projecting'” in today’s world, Rosenblum says.

Children are told, “you need to sit still so you can learn math, and succeed in life.”

But here are many ways to succeed, Elkind notes. Someone obsessed with, say, Dungeons & Dragons can earn a good living as a livestreamer.

“We help them advocate for their diagnoses, and find areas of growth,” Rosenblum explains.

“They often say ‘no one really understands how my brain works.'” The neurodivergent therapists on the NeuroMind team do.

One client, suffering from depression, lived at home with their parents. Eventually they got a job, joined a dating app, found a partner, and moved to Colorado to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle. “All it took was a bit of support to achieve their goals,” Elkind says.

Olivia McGuffog, working with young clients.

A woman in her mid-20s, diagnosed with autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder, was burned out at work — not uncommon for neuro-divergent people.

NeuroMind’s staff helped her find a fulfilling career. Her “superpower” was seeing minute details. She is now a superb professional organizer.

A woman with ADHD — raising 2 children, and working as a New York attorney — struggled to manage her work and home lives.

NeuroMind helped her use an app to take mental rests. She also reduced her nighttime sensory overloads, allowing her to sleep better.

Much of their work is virtual. But they’ve reached out to local groups like Uniquely Mothering and Tilt, and will add more in-person support. In the works: home visits, and perhaps a brick-and-mortar location.

Autism, ADHD and OCD have been stigmatized for years.

Now — thanks to words like “neurodiversity,” and the public embrace of their neurodivergence by famous figures like Elon Musk — that stigma is fading.

“Superpowers” are having their moment. At NeuroMind, Lauren Rosenblum and Chelsea Elkind make sure that everyone gets a chance to show off theirs.

(To learn more about NeuroMind, click here. Their Instagram is @NeuroMindServices.)

(“06880” regularly covers interesting trends — and services — in Westport. We are your 24/7/365, full-service, reader-supported blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)

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Posted in Education, Local business

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