Source: Delivered
Suddenly Kirsten Verdonschot from Wervershoof got a contract under her nose and she was called an illustrator and author. To her own surprise, the drawings that she previously used during her work with patients with ADHD and autism, among others, have been collected in the book NeuroAtypical. Kirsten also has ADHD herself and hopes it helps patients. “If this makes one person feel less alone, it’s already a success.”
Autism and ADHD in pictures, is the subtitle. Using seemingly simple drawings, recognizable situations are explained in a striking way, including how someone with ADHD and/or autism thinks or acts.
Kirsten has now been working at the Dignitas hospice in Hoorn for a number of years, before which she guided countless clients in healthcare. “Then terms were always thrown around. Such as ‘a disturbance in your executive functions’. What is that then? During conversations with clients, I started making drawings using a stick figure to better explain situations. I noticed that it often worked. “Can I have that?” people sometimes asked. And I noticed that during presentations, photos were taken of the drawings I used.”
‘Accessible to all’
Through an acquaintance who previously published a book, she came into contact with a publisher from the healthcare field. “More to see if I could bundle the drawings for myself or for some former colleagues.” The publisher was immediately enthusiastic and suggested publishing it. And so her own book – richly filled with 130 drawings and additional texts and explanations – is suddenly in front of her. And it can be found in various (online) stores. “The layout has been kept fairly simple, the drawings in black and white. I think it is important that it is accessible to everyone.”
She knows what it’s like. She was diagnosed with ADHD ten years ago. “I think it’s nice for a client if someone says to you: ‘I understand how you feel’. People with ADHD and/or autism have difficulty regulating stimuli. Emotions such as sadness, mourning, but also happiness are much more intense.”
Text continues below the photo.
She flips through and stops at page 129, where a person tries to bring order to the chaos the person sees before them. ‘Where do I start?’ is the accompanying text. A seemingly simple question, but with a difficult answer for a diagnosed person. A typical example from the collection.
‘Recognition is the goal’
The book about autism – which she never expected would be published – is intended for everyone: people with ADHD and/or autism, but also for parents, friends and professionals, so that they can see at a glance the differences between people with and without a diagnosis. She doesn’t have to become rich, she emphasizes. “Recognition is the goal, to help people. I know from my own experience that you can quickly feel alone, because you know that it works slightly differently for you than for many others. If this book makes even one person feel a little less alone, it will be a success.”
Tonight the book NeuroAtypical will be festively presented in a café in her hometown.
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