Social Skills Aren’t Dead, But the Way We Teach Them Might Be
Young adult using a smartphone alone, representing digital communication habits, screen time overload, and the growing social disconnect among Gen Z and neurodivergent individuals in a hyperconnected world.
Supporting Neurodivergent Individuals
Through Authentic Social Skills Coaching
For years, I worked as a traditional speech-language pathologist. I taught social skills the standard way: eye contact, turn-taking, greetings, and conversation starters. And while these skills are important, they weren’t creating deep, lasting results—especially for my neurodivergent clients, including those with autism, ADHD, or social communication anxiety.
So I began asking: What’s actually getting in the way of connection?
Why are so many autistic or neurodivergent individuals told to mask, to force eye contact, to blend in—when those approaches only make them feel more alone?
Why are trauma survivors expected to navigate complex social cues with no acknowledgment of how trauma rewires the brain?
These questions led me to something deeper and more human.
Reclaiming Your Voice: Social Skills Coaching with Heart and Depth
In this video, I share my journey as a survivor of domestic violence, religious trauma, and complex PTSD—and how those experiences shaped my mission as a speech-language pathologist. Traditional approaches to social skills often miss the mark for neurodivergent individuals and trauma survivors. That’s why I created something different.
I talk about how we don’t have to mask to be heard, and how authentic connection is possible when we understand the instincts and patterns behind social interaction. Through personalized, trauma-informed social communication coaching, I help teens and adults—especially those with autism, ADHD, and anxiety—find their real voice, not the one the world told them to perform.
Whether you're someone who struggles with initiating conversations, making friends, or feeling "too much" or "not enough," I want you to know: you’re not broken. You're just missing a translation. And that’s where I come in.
We are not born with social instinct. We learn it.
But we don’t all learn the same way.
Some people have a high level of mirror neurons; they naturally pick up on tone, facial expression, and body language. Others don’t, and that’s not a deficit. It’s a difference. Neurodivergent social learners need different supports, not shame.
As someone who lives with complex PTSD, religious trauma, and the long-term effects of domestic violence, I know firsthand how culture and systems shape silence. I know how it feels to wonder if you’re “too much” or “not enough.”
And I know the power of learning to use your voice again, from a place of safety and authenticity. What I offer now is not just speech therapy. It’s trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming communication coaching:
It’s social skills support that honors how YOU move through the world.
Because you don’t need to fake it to be included, you don’t have to mask to matter.
You just need someone who sees you—and a map that’s made for your wiring.
This image showcases Meghan Gallardo’s featured article in Brainz Magazine, “Is This a Social Skills Crisis? – How Digital Disconnect is Impacting Gen Z.” In the article, Gallardo explores the rising social anxiety and disconnection among young adults and teens in the digital age. As a speech-language pathologist and neurodivergent communication coach, she shares insight into why traditional social skills approaches fail many individuals, especially those with autism, ADHD, or trauma, and how trauma-informed, authentic social coaching can transform connection, confidence, and community.
Want to know how this approach can support you or someone you love?
Visit my social skills coaching page to learn more: Click Here