Karise McNamee is an AuDHD Counselling Social Worker, Social Work Academic, and founder of Paths with Purpose – an Australia-wide online counselling practice supporting ADHD and AuDHD individuals.
Diagnosed with ADHD at 45 and Autism at 48, Karise intimately understands the unique challenges of navigating daily life undiagnosed. With over 12 years of experience in trauma informed and neurodiversity-affirming mental health practice, she brings professional expertise, lived experience, and personal insight to her work. Working through a social justice lens, she recognises the challenges of functioning within societal expectations and oppressive systems.
Karise is an Associate Member of the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association, serves on the Australian Association of Social Workers Ethics Council, and is a Charles Sturt University academic currently completing her PhD researching late-diagnosed ADHD women. Her commitment to creating meaningful change for disadvantaged communities was recognised with Charles Sturt University’s Lila Kirilik Social Action Memorial Prize.
She delivers corporate workshops and training packages throughout Australia, partnering with organisations to create inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming environments. As a public speaker and advocate, Karise champions individualised and contextualised assessment, education and support for ADHD and AuDHD people – approaches that consider the systems and contexts in which people live. She also creates resources helping neurodivergent individuals develop sustainable practices for authentic living.
Karise lives on the beautiful South Coast of New South Wales with her husband and their Staffy, Kobi.
Talk: Intense passions and Special Interests (SPINS) in AuDHD
Join Karise for an interesting exploration of the AuDHD “depth-breadth dynamic” – where intense focus meets novelty-seeking. This engaging session offers a neurodiversity-affirming perspective on interest patterns often misunderstood as inconsistency, transforming perceived challenges into recognised strengths. Discover the neuroscience behind interest cycles and practical strategies for leveraging your natural style.
You’ll leave with concrete tools for creating “interest ecosystems,” techniques for managing transitions between passions without guilt, and approaches for building education and career paths that honor your authentic interest patterns. Whether navigating “project paralysis,” seeking to sustain momentum through interest fluctuations, or wanting to better leverage polymathic tendencies, this presentation provides the understanding and practical supports needed to embrace your unique relationship with interests and passions.