Maikes’s Background

Maike Preißing is a Psychologist and Neurodiversity & Synaesthesia Coach. She graduated from Leopold-Franzen’s University in Innsbruck in 2019, earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, alongside training in psychotherapy. Most of her clinical experience comes from Austria, where she worked with adults facing mental health challenges and neurodivergence. A defining moment in her career was conducting field research on female sexual health in the Papuan highlands of Indonesia, which deepened her curiosity about human psychology.

Currently, she focuses on neurodiversity, particularly in autism spectrum conditions and synaesthesia. As an autistic synaesthete with over ten forms of synaesthesia herself, she finds this topic endlessly fascinating yet often overlooked. This led to the creation of her instagram channel maikepreissing, a digital space dedicated to resources, community and synaesthesia art. Inspired by the stories she encountered, she launched the podcast “Let’s Talk Synaesthesia, where she invites synaesthetes and scientists worldwide to discuss neurodiversity and synaesthesia. Through the podcast, she realized the need for support and information for late-discovered neurodivergent adults. 

Maike creates safe, inclusive spaces for neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ individuals on her Instagram channel and podcast, aiming to empower and inform. She is passionate about exploring the complexities of navigating autism, ADHD, and synaesthesia, addressing the challenges of sensory processing, feelings of alienation, and the need for self-understanding. As a neurodivergent having faced mental health struggles, Maike understands the importance of having support on the journey of neurodivergence. She believes a diagnosis offers a new understanding chapter, especially in places with minimal post-assessment support.

She is committed to helping people navigate neurodivergence and the frustration and disheartening feelings they bring to late adults, children, and their support systems. The challenges and unique perspectives that neurodivergent individuals face may be unfamiliar territory, making it difficult to comprehend their needs fully. Using her clinical expertise, personal experiences, and especially research-driven, evidence-based therapeutic approaches, Maike is informed and up-to-date with the latest advancements in the field. The ultimate goal: to help others lead happier, more fulfilling lives with therapy and coaching tailored to them. 

 

 

Maike Preißing’s areas of expertise

  • Late-discovered Neurodivergence
  • Autism Spectrum Condition
  • Synaesthesia
  • Acquired Synaesthesia: E.g., after a brain surgery or injury
  • ADHD/ ADD
  • Mixed Neurotype Relationships
  • Sensory Sensitivities
  • HSP (Highly-sensitive person)
  • Hyperphantasia
  • Misophonia
  • Queer Relationships
  • Sexuality
  • Neurodiversity Awareness Training

What led you to your profession and vast specializations?

I’ve always been fascinated by psychology and the brain. I was thrilled to be accepted to study psychology at the University of Innsbruck. My specialization came later after working in social psychiatry for three years, supporting adults with chronic mental health conditions like schizophrenia, addiction, affective disorder, and neurodivergence. My interest in neurodiversity sparked when I stumbled upon the topic online, especially how it relates to late-diagnosed women. I wish I had this knowledge earlier in my career to support my clients better.

Why is your activity important to you?

As a neurodivergent person myself, I spent years searching for answers, going from doctor to doctor with no precise diagnosis or answer for why I felt so miserable. When I came across the world of neurodiversity, everything changed within a couple of months. I live a much happier and healthier life now and wish I had access to that kind of information two decades ago. 

How would you describe your work to people?

I always say I’m a Psychologist, Neurodiversity Advocate, Podcaster, and Artist. So, I do a range of things now and need a balance of psychology and creativity to stay fulfilled.

Why do you want to collaborate with OmniBloom?

What is your contribution, and why is it meaningful to you & others?
I’ll contribute through a Neurodiversity Workshop, a Synaesthesia Art Workshop, and by offering 1:1 sessions at the retreats. I love what OmniBloom stands for, and like Gina Enache, I believe that to live healthily and happily, we need to know A LOT about ourselves. We come to this world without a handbook. It takes a lot to figure out which sport, nutrition, sleep, and amount of connection and stimulation we need to function best. A retreat like OmniBloom’s, with experts from different fields and multidisciplinary support, is the best kickstart or continuation of the journey of self-discovery. I’m excited to be part of it.

Have you worked on any retreats before? What do you hope to get out of this experience?

Yes, I’ve been on OmniBloom’s first retreat in September 2024 and loved it. I’m looking forward to the next one, and to learning more from the other experts, having great conversations and making new connections, experiencing lots of healthy movement, being inspired to develop a healthier routine, and enjoying some relaxing beach sunsets!

What’s your approach to helping people improve their health?

I specialize in neurodiversity. So, neurologically speaking, we are all born with different conditions. We don’t talk about it much daily, but how we think, reason, analyze, connect, interact, and process the world differs greatly.  

Depending on the neurological makeup we were given (e.g., ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Synaesthesia, Giftedness), we might have problems maintaining a healthy mind and body in a neurotypical world. But also, neurotypical people can benefit from the neurodiversity perspective: I help clients find their language to express overwhelm, regulate emotions, help them find tools to manage their tasks and time, help them advocate for themselves, and much more.

 

What are your top three strategies that someone can use to improve their quality of life?

 

  1. Monitor your sensory intake and sensory battery, or energy levels, if you’d like. Even good things can be draining—like a great but loud concert, long focused conversations, or wearing beautiful but itchy clothes. 
  2. Rethink your idea of human connection and embrace your way of making meaningful connections. It might not be touch, eye contact, and coffee dates, but parallel play, going for walks side by side and chatting about a topic or book.
  3. Make Neurodivergent friends. We receive an abundance of corrective messages throughout our lives, feel like we don’t fit in, and are told we’re making things up. Hearing other people’s stories is empowering, and I can’t encourage you enough to pursue finding your tribe.

How will you combine your areas of expertise and experience at OmniBloom?

I will contribute to workshops and 1:1 sessions. I will also encourage participants to ask questions, to which I hope to provide sufficient answers at the workshops. I hope to engage in conversations with experts during their workshops to highlight how different areas of expertise intersect and how these insights can help us in daily life.

What do you do for work now?

I’m a psychologist and neurodiversity coach. I offer workshops, individual and family support, and team training; I am also a neurodiversity and disability advocate. Additionally, I host the podcast Let’s Talk synaesthesia and create synaesthesia-inspired art.

Why is self-development vital to you?

This question kept me thinking because I didn’t even consider this could be negotiable. The world is constantly moving, and so am I. I want to grow with it to support myself best and be a better person for the world around me. I want to build resilience, work on skills, hear stories, challenge my stereotypes, and grow old healthily.

In Maike’s Free Time

Enjoying Fun Activities

I go to the gym, travel (most of the year), thrift, make art, watch movies, and listen to podcasts.

What’s an interesting fact or hobby about yourself?

Due to my synaesthesia, I see colors when I hear music, feel pain, or touch. And I see subtitles when people speak!

Instagram