Meet Kayla Quadros
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Executive Function + ADHD Coach
Hello
I’m Kayla Quadros, a licensed mental health counselor, craft enthusiast, and neurodivergent nerd (or neurodiverge-nerd, as I like to say). There’s only a couple of absolute truths that I have known about myself since I was a child: (1) I’m passionate about helping people and (2) I love creating. I believe in the healing benefits of arts and crafts as a form of self-expression and self-care, and the power of creativity to find innovative solutions to everyday problems. I conceptualized the Craft + Compass as an intersection between expressive arts and mental health, and I am dedicated to empowering neurodivergent folks, guiding them in their journey of self-discovery, and reducing the stigma around invisible disabilities.
Welcome to my Neurodiverge-Nerd Herd!
All are welcome :)
My Story
I have been working as a licensed mental health counselor for a decade and counting. As a therapist, I have engaged with individuals from 3 years old through adulthood, with most of my experience focusing on students, families, and young adults. I have provided services in a variety of settings including: home-based, outpatient, group therapy, school-based, and early childhood programs. While mental health therapy is an extremely valuable service, I found that it was not always accessible to people unless it was deemed “medically necessary” by health insurance companies. I believe that everyone can benefit from the support and guidance gained through therapy, regardless of whether or not they meet clinical criteria for a diagnosis. We all have struggles in our lives and goals we want to achieve. As a coach, I work with individuals to reach the specific goals they set through positive, solution-focused plans--not ones that emphasize diagnoses, illness, and “medical necessity.”
If you’d like to read more about what our coaching services can help you with, check out the coaching webpage here.
The Craft + Compass Approach
Kayla Quadros, LMHC | Owner
At the Craft + Compass, we recognize that having a professional just recommend strategies and check in a week or two later to see if you tried them isn't enough. You don't need one more thing to add to your to-do list--you need someone to help you figure out how to tackle it. You deserve more, and that's exactly what our coaching services offer.
People who struggle with executive dysfunction and ADHD often know what they "should" do, but have a hard time actually carrying it out--their slogan should be "easier said than done." The problem isn't knowledge--it's overcoming obstacles to act on that knowledge in the moment. And that's where we come in.
This is at the heart of our approach at the Craft + Compass. We work with you to understand the full scope of your challenges and their underlying origins, play to your strengths, and craft personalized strategies. We don't just tell you what to do. We're right there with you doing it--brainstorming, problem-solving, and providing support at the point of performance.
Brain Terrain
The first step in navigating your path is getting familiarized with your brain terrain--learning more about how your brain is "wired," what your strengths are, which EF skills have become well-trodden trails in your mind, and which ones are in need of some new paths to be forged.
This initial assessment of your brain terrain mainly involves two components:
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EF Skills Profile: evaluating your strengths and needs with our EF Rating Inventory, based on 12 EF skills (read about them here).
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Life Domain Problem Inventory: identifying the target areas, obstacles, and EF skills involved
Our Coaching Process
Conditioning + Skills Training
Preparing you for your journey by learning more about the nature of executive functioning, ADHD, and other topics relevant to helping you better navigate your life.
This psychoeducation occurs in two ways:
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In-Session Learning: your coach will teach and explain important concepts in the moment
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Out-of-Session: you'll have access to our online resources with useful handouts, educational modules, videos, etc. (new addition to our services--more coming soon)
Trail Guide
Using the knowledge of your brain terrain, skills training, and some crafty planning, we can develop your trail guide. It serves as our overall coaching plan, detailing the life domains, EFs, obstacles, goals, and strategies that you've identified for working on together.
Our crafty planning involves two main elements:
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Trail Markers: these are the smaller objectives that mark your progress towards your goals
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Survival Kit: your coach will work with you at the point of performance to guide you in the creation of visuals, tools, systems, etc.--equipping you with the gear you need to be successful
Waypoints
Stay on track towards your goals by setting waypoints along your path. Waypoints let you know what to expect from your coach and yourself. Collaborate each session to set the next waypoints--scheduling the next appointment and identifying any tasks or skills to work on before then.
You'll also get increased accountability through:
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Multimodal Communication: your coach is available via text/email to provide clarity, guidance, and encouragement as needed between sessions
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Gamification: access to an online individualized goal tracking program, updated with each session's highlights and next steps. Follow along, complete challenges, and earn virtual badges for an extra boost of motivation
Ready to learn more about our services?
Questions?
Undecided? Confused? Not sure about coaching vs. counseling? Want to hear more about our services?
