I’m so excited to officially launch Exceptional Like Me, a consultancy and tutoring service born from my own lived experience and dedicated to our fabulous community.
I understand firsthand that being twice-exceptional (2e)—being both academically gifted and managing a disability like ADHD, autism, or anxiety—is a unique and often challenging path. My goal is to use my personal journey to change the lived reality for individuals and families like mine.
Beyond my work, I live with my wife and cats in Sydney’s Inner West. When I’m not teaching or consulting, I enjoy playing and refereeing basketball, watching film and television, especially horror, and writing and performing my own songs.
My professional background is deep. I have four years of university lecturing and tutoring experience, six years of school teaching, over a decade of private tutoring, and extensive senior marking experience. These roles informed my perspective, but I knew traditional frameworks weren't enough. I needed specialised training.
That's why I pursued a Certificate of Twice-Exceptional Education from Bridges Graduate School (now Elmbridge University). This qualification is incredibly rare in Australia and provides best-practice training from one of the few institutions globally dedicated to this exact intersection.
"Being twice-exceptional means living in the tension between ‘can’ and ‘can’t.’ For years, my academic successes hid the internal exhaustion of navigating a world not designed for my neurodivergent brain. Understanding my 2e identity was the key to finally aligning my potential with my well-being."
— Dr. Olivia Evans
PhD + Certificate of Twice Exceptional Education from Bridges Graduate School (now Elmbridge University), specialising in 2e education and well-being — one of the few globally available qualifications, held by only a handful of Australians.
Currently teaching high school, providing deep educational expertise and classroom insight.
Bringing the unique perspective of a late autism diagnosis and personal experience as a young person with Generalised Anxiety Disorder, dysthymia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder.
Dr. Evans operates under a "nothing about us without us" philosophy. This approach emphasises the distinct value of support designed by 2e people, rather than just for them, leveraging her personal lived experience alongside her professional expertise.
A key differentiator for Dr. Evans is that she continues to teach part-time. With six years of school teaching experience, her consulting advice is not theoretical but grounded in what is actually achievable within today's school system.
Exceptional Like Me, led by Dr. Olivia Evans, provides specialised, neuroaffirming support for gifted and twice-exceptionality (2e) individuals. Combining elite academic qualifications with her own lived experience, Dr. Evans offers a unique strengths-based approach through educational consulting, neurodivergent coaching, and specialised tutoring.