11/06/2026
Going over the notes this morning from last night’s focus-group dinner, in preparation for Psychologist Andy Solange’s presentation at the Annual Gold Coast Conference on neurodivergence in the law, three ideas are clear.
The dinner brought together a dynamic group of professionals — such as Anna Morgan from, Casandra Laurie, Ben Hook, Natasha Hynes and Thierry Peynot — for a rich conversation on professional life, neurodivergence, leadership, cognitive difference and human flourishing.
Keeping up with the IQ levels, speed of thought-processing and depth of insight around the table was, in itself, a meaningful challenge for Ultivate’s founder and psychologist, Andy Solange
And perhaps that was the point. When highly capable minds gather, difference is not a problem to be managed. It becomes a resource to be understood, valued and cultivated.
At Ultivate, three ideas continue to guide this work.
🌼 Different does not have to mean deficient.
Many of the qualities we value most in professionals — deep expertise, pattern recognition, creativity, systems thinking, persistence and a strong sense of justice — can emerge from minds that think differently.
🌼 Humans are wired to flourish in their own way under the right conditions.
Too often, a pathology-focused approach asks, “What is wrong with me?”
A more useful and humane question may be, “What conditions would help me flourish?”
🌼 The modern goal is not merely to succeed in our professions.
The next frontier of professional development is learning how to flourish within our professions — not at the expense of humanity, health, family, values or the nervous system.
These ideas apply not only to law, but also to medicine, education, finance, psychology, research, technology, enterprise development and the pillar industries that help flourishing societies function well.
As professionals, many spend years developing advanced competence, carrying responsibility and serving others. But competence without the conditions for flourishing can become costly.
What might become possible for our clients, communities, organisations and professions if we created space for human flourishing, not just performance?
Sending warm wishes from a chilly and rainy Gold Coast morning as we prepare to contribute to this important conversation at the Queensland Law Society Annual Gold Coast Conference.
This lecture will be dynamic and practical. Those attending will walk away with:
• A clearer understanding of how neurodivergence can show up in legal education, legal practice, leadership, teams and clients
• A way to distinguish between performance issues, health and cognitive differences
• Practical language for discussing neurodivergence without stigma or over-pathologising
• A vision for how the legal profession can protect ethics and excellence while making room for diverse intellects
Friday 12 June at the Royal Pines Resort Gold Coast
View the full program and register via the link below:
https://lnkd.in/g3bir8JN We cannot wait to be with you all tomorrow!