Małgorzata Mikołajczyk
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower symbol visible in the photo is something I wear as a personal sign of an invisible disability and of my decision not to hide it. I do not represent Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme Limited and do not claim any affiliation with that organisation.

About me

Psychologist and behavior analyst (BCBA, IBA).

I support families, schools, and neurodivergent people in making sense of challenging situations related to overload, refusal, meltdowns, shutdowns, and demand-related distress.

I do not look for quick labels or simple explanations. I pay attention to what happens before, during, and after a challenging moment — and to which conditions genuinely reduce tension and make action more possible.

In my work, I combine behavior analysis, environmental context, and a neurodiversity-affirming approach.

I am also familiar with home education, including from my own experience.

  • autism, ADHD and PDA (Persistent Drive for Autonomy; historically also expanded as Pathological Demand Avoidance)
  • analysis of home and school situations
  • work with overload, refusal and meltdowns

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What I bring to the work

I combine the perspective of a psychologist, behavior analyst and practitioner working with families.

  • I can organize a chaotic description of a situation and identify recurring patterns
  • I can separate behavior from interpretations such as “manipulation” or “lack of willingness”
  • I analyze both the person and the conditions around them: demands, communication, sensory factors, pace, and environment
  • I translate conclusions into small changes that can be tested in practice

Areas of work

These are the areas I most often support.

  • autism
  • ADHD
  • PDA (Persistent Drive for Autonomy; historically also expanded as Pathological Demand Avoidance) and high demand sensitivity
  • meltdowns, shutdowns, refusal, and avoidance
  • functional communication
  • sensory and cognitive overload
  • executive functioning and self-regulation
  • collaboration with families, schools, and support people

Background

I combine psychological and analytical training with ongoing professional development.

I graduated in psychology from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and completed the ABA Graduate Certificate at Florida Institute of Technology.

I hold the BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) and IBA (International Behavior Analyst) credentials — professional credentials in behavior analysis and support planning.

I use this background to better understand what is happening and plan support, not to reduce a person to behavior alone.

I regularly continue my professional development in behavior analysis, communication, ethics, and neurodiversity-affirming approaches. I have completed more than 170 hours of documented continuing education (CEU / CE).

In my work I use tools and observation methods that help understand communication, everyday functioning, and what is happening in a specific context, and support planning realistic, day-to-day support (including ABAS-3, VB-MAPP, PEAK; ACT / RFT, AIM).

Scope and limits

I clearly define what this work is — and what it is not.

  • I do not provide psychotherapy
  • I do not conduct comprehensive clinical diagnoses
  • I do not provide crisis intervention
  • I do not work within models focused on quickly “extinguishing behaviors” without contextual analysis

If you think this approach may be helpful in your situation, you can contact me at kontakt@autyzm.poznan.pl