Established in 2025

Many times, people - and especially young people - with ADHD are considered "space cases," lazy, rude, or difficult because ADHD brains are not built for how the world operates. As we learn to understand and accept how our neurodiverse brains work, we often uncover new ways to operate and succeed day to day.

In March of 2025, my contract employment ended, and I began the arduous and, increasingly these days, depressing job application process. In June, I thought maybe I could simply do the work I love within my community, and focus my time and energy on giving back to my home that raised me.

And, so, by the end of June 2025, I established Space Cases LLC to do just that.

You can find more about my qualifications and commitment to the work below. No formal diagnosis of ADHD, autism, or any developmental or mental health need is required to work with Space Cases (self-diagnosis or a strong hunch is fine.) We are not clinicians and we do not take insurance. There is a sliding scale available for all of our programming. You can learn more about Space Cases here, and about peer support here.

Hi there, and welcome! My name is Lydia, and I am the owner of Space Cases. I am a peer support specialist with over 15 years of professional experience in peer support, trauma informed youth engagement, and youth peer support program development, implementation, and evaluation. After six years working on a statewide and national level, I am excited to return back to my home city. As a peer support specialist, I work with neurodiverse queer and transgender people as they figure out their own goals, needs, and what works for them.

My own lived experience includes challenges in school, mental health needs and trauma, and late diagnosed ADHD. My family has been involved with child welfare and mental health systems. 

When I was a teenager, I did not feel accepted by my family, faith community, or school. I felt alone all the time, even when I was surrounded by other people. I could not figure out how to connect. It took a lot of trial and error, but, eventually, I did find friends and peers who understood what I was going through. I was connected to supportive adults who would listen. Eventually, my nervous system and my heart could calm down a bit because I found people who would be my community even as I grew and changed. I was able to practice new skills, make mistakes, practice some more, and then share those experiences and abilities with other people who were going through their version of what I had been through. These early experiences of peer connection saved my life - being understood made feeling lonely bearable.

I have worked as a youth peer support specialist, peer support specialist supervisor, peer support provider trainer, group facilitator, comprehensive sexual health educator, and program director. I find the most joy in small groups and individual support work, as well as workforce development and training. In addition to my professional experience in the mental health field, I have also worked as a community organizer, employment coach, and comprehensive sexual health educator. 

I have a dog named Goose and a cat named Oat Bran. In my spare time, I enjoy painting, crocheting, gardening, and hanging out with my friends and family. My favorite color is yellow and I am pro-pineapple on pizza.