about shae, unmasked
there’s more to me than “nd mom content creator”
Hi, I’m Shae — chaotic millennial maximalist with tattoos and a collection of interests that make zero sense together unless you’re also neurodivergent.
I’m into anime, heavy music (Sleep Token, Paleface Swiss, Bad Omens, Knocked Loose), crocheting tiny creatures, and losing hours to video games. I hyperfixate on the most random stuff and lean into my awkward, nerdy side — it’s part of the fun!
I’m also autistic (with ADHD flavors), a first-time mom to an 9-month-old named Gideon, and currently taking steps toward getting formally diagnosed because motherhood absolutely shattered my ability to pretend I’m neurotypical.
But real talk? Becoming a mom is the only reason I know I’m autistic at all.
how motherhood broke my brain (in the best worst way)
Pregnancy was fine. Birth was uneventful. And then I brought G. home and my entire nervous system said “absolutely the fuck not.”
The sensory overload hit me first — the crying, the constant touch, the unpredictability of it all. I couldn’t regulate. I couldn’t think.
But it wasn’t just sensory stuff. The rigidity I didn’t know I had? Gone. My routines, my structure, my carefully built systems that kept me functional — a baby doesn’t care about any of that.
The fourth trimester was brutal because I couldn’t hold my mask anymore. I didn’t have the resources. I didn’t have the bandwidth.
At the time, I legitimately thought I was broken. Lost. Drowning. I thought I was failing at figuring myself out, which trickled into thinking I was failing at motherhood. Postpartum is a tricky bitch like that.
It wasn’t until months later — sleep-deprived, overstimulated, running on fumes, and a lot of therapy — that I started piecing it together. The meltdowns weren’t “just hormones.” The sensory issues weren’t “just adjustment.”
Oh.
Oh.
I might be autistic.
And once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it. My whole life recontextualized in real time.
So yeah, motherhood didn’t break my brain. It unmasked it. And now I’m here, taking steps toward formal diagnosis, building a life that works with my actual brain instead of against it.
how i ended up building shit for other neurodivergent moms
Here’s the thing: I have a Master’s in forensic psychology and a career in software development. Which basically means I spent years translating complex problems into systems that actually work.
And when my brain forgot how to function after becoming a mom? I used those same skills to build my way out.
I started using ChatGPT (because I knew about it from my dev days) to handle the cognitive load I didn’t have anymore. I built Notion templates to externalize my brain. I created frameworks for decision-making when executive function noped out.
I wasn’t trying to start a business. I was simply trying to survive.
But then I realized — if I’m struggling this hard as someone with a psychology degree and technical skills, what about the moms who don’t have those tools? What about the moms who are drowning in the same invisible problems but don’t know there are solutions?
So I started sharing what I built. The templates. The systems. The frameworks. The tools that worked when my brain didn’t.
And it turns out, a lot of y’all needed the same shit.
what shae, unmasked actually is
This is where I collect the tools, systems, and brain-savers I’ve tested in real life while raising a tiny human with an autistic brain.
Everything I make is built for the days when:
- your brain is in airplane mode
- your kid needs 27 things at once
- your emotions are loud
- your capacity is tiny
- and you still have to figure shit out
I focus on the problems you didn’t know had solutions — the invisible executive function drains, the mental load everyone else thinks is “just part of being a mom,” the sensory overwhelm that makes you want to hide in the bathroom.
Real tools for real brains that work differently.
Oh! The headphones you see everywhere (my favicon, my visuals, my whole brand)? That’s my symbol for accommodation. For recognizing that sometimes you need to block the world out just to exist. For honoring that sensory needs aren’t weaknesses — they’re requirements.
what i’m working on right now
The ND Mom Notion Dashboard:
My signature product (still in progress) for neurodivergent moms who need their brain to exist outside their head. Tracking for sensory needs, executive function support, meal planning modules, and all the stuff neurotypical planners conveniently forget exists.
the thing you can grab right now:
The Mental Load Audit for Moms:
A practical checklist that helps you identify invisible labor and executive function drains so you can stop wondering why you’re so damn tired.
This is the starting point. The entry. The thing that costs you nothing but gives you clarity.
what else you’ll find here
On the blog: Real talk, research translation, myth-busting, and gentler ways to think about motherhood when your brain is intense
On social: Instagram reels that validate your experience, Pinterest pins that actually solve problems, YouTube shorts for when reading feels like too much
In your inbox (if you subscribe): Weekly practical tips and tools — no toxic positivity, no “just breathe” bullshit
the actual point
You shouldn’t have to pretend to be neurotypical just to survive the day.
You deserve tools that work with your brain — not against it.
I build Notion templates, systems, guides, and frameworks for the invisible problems that make motherhood harder when you’re neurodivergent. Sometimes AI is part of that toolkit. Sometimes it’s a dashboard. Sometimes it’s just a checklist.
Whatever works, bb.
✨ ready to stop white-knuckling it alone?
Get the Mental Load Audit — it’s free and actually helpful
✨ just vibing?
there. that’s me. the whole chaotic package.
Now you know who’s behind the templates and the tools and the very specific Spotify playlists I’ll probably make at some point.
If any of this resonates, stick around. I’m just getting started ♡