Ryk Groetchen, neurodiversity advocate, parent, teacher, artist with several neuro-specialties
- Autism Spectrum Processing Specialties (ASD)
- Conditional Neurotransmitter Function (ADHD Inattentive Type)
- Aphantasia
- Proprioception Hyposensitivity
You might be interested to see how ChatGPT described a person with my combination of specialties. It’s the most accurate description of myself I’ve ever seen. And keep in mind, 1) my specialties are considered sensory deficiencies and disorders in most current contexts; and 2) I didn’t include any other information related to traits generally thought of as related to good health. Read it here.
For a more poetic take on the spaces I move through, from within my differences, there’s this.
For an example of the type of interpersonal neurodiverse dynamics I’m working on understanding, here’s a recent blog post.
I am available to support the community in a variety of ways:
- Understanding and contextualizing sensory and cognitive predispositions from the inside
- Sharing tools for self- and co-awareness and self- and co-advocacy
- Observing and analyzing living, learning and work environments relative to specialties
- Recontextualizing cognitive frames to depathologize the language of neurodiversity
- Mentoring and co-regulating for parents and children navigating neurodiversity
- Conflict analysis relative to sensory, cognitive, and behavioral differences.
Reach out and we’ll have a conversation and see how I can support you
More about Ryk
In addition to my activities as an advocate and facilitator, I am a multi-instrumentalist (voice, flute, guitar, bass, ukulele), composer, poet, and lifelong music lover. My performance experience includes rock bands, free improvisation ensembles, jazz big-band, vocal ensembles and multi-media/spoken word performance groups. I have participated in a variety of community art- and music-making activities with young children, middle- and high-school students and adults of all ages.
As a neurodivergent person (ADHD, proprioception hyposensitivity, aphantasia), my particular challenges have necessitated that I think mindfully about many aspects of practice that might come more naturally to another student. I will take great care in understanding, articulating, and providing strategies for a wide range of challenges that a student might face when learning to play an instrument. We’re on this journey together, and there’s no hurry. Let’s enjoy learning about ourselves in this musical way.
I am a perpetual student myself, committed to continuing my own music and movement education while sharing my understanding and learning process with the community.
- Former teacher with East Bay Music Together 2002–2025
- Early Childhood Music Certification Level I by the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, NJ.
- Orff Schulwerk Certification Levels I, II, and III
- Orff-Afrique course in Ghana
- Smithsonian Folkways Course in World Music Pedagogy
- Orff Jazz Course New Orleans
I have always had a strong desire to contribute in some way to musical culture, which led me to found the East Bay Community Music Project 2012–2025. I have been teaching ukulele in the Berkeley/Oakland/San Francisco East Bay area, and since music classes went online due to Covid 19, my students have Zoomed in from all over the US, as well as Taiwan, Mexico, Canada, Israel, and India.
My community activities are now consolidated within imeetswe, founded in 2025 to serve the needs of a neurodiverse community. Learn more.