Neurodivergent Community Voices: Michelle Swan
What do you do, and how does neurodivergence show up in your everyday life—both personally and professionally?
I'm a personal branding photographer, and I founded my business, Eyes of Love Photography, in 2015. I absolutely love what I do. There's something really empowering about guiding people to feel relaxed and at ease in front of the camera, especially when so many enter the shoot feeling nervous and apprehensive.
I have combined inattentive and hyperactive ADHD, and in many ways I feel like I've carved out a creative career that really works with my brain rather than against it.
My brain loves to move quickly. When I'm photographing someone, I can be posing and directing them, watching the light, noticing how their clothes are sitting and thinking about the next shot, all while carrying on a conversation. I love the variety, the creativity and the opportunity to connect deeply with people. It utilises so many of my natural strengths in a way that feels really satisfying.
Where my ADHD is more challenging is in the parts of business that ask for steady, repetitive focus. Admin, systems and the day to day rhythms of running things behind the scenes are where I've had to build the most support around myself.
Outside of work, I love the lifestyle we have on the southern Gold Coast. I met my husband when we were 18 and we've been together ever since. We spent much of our 20s living and travelling overseas, and now have a busy, full family life with our two little girls.
When did you first realise you were neurodivergent?
Was there a particular moment or experience that helped things click into place for you?
My family moved from Victoria to Queensland when I was in Grade 4, and I was skipped ahead into Grade 6. I struggled immensely with maths. I remember feeling as though I was missing a part of my brain that everyone else seemed to have access to.
I loved English at school and could focus easily, but when it came to something I found challenging or simply wasn't interested in, I couldn't will myself to focus. There was so much rote learning when I was at school, which didn't suit my learning style at all. I learn best through doing.
Every report card seemed to say some variation of, "Michelle would do well if she applied herself," or, "Michelle is a warm and kind student who is easily distracted." Looking back now, the signs were always there.
It wasn't until years later, with two young daughters and a growing business, that everything I'd experienced through school started to make sense in a new way. The demands of that season were stacking up, and I could feel that the way I'd always operated needed to shift. That's when I started to seriously look into how my brain actually worked.
What’s something you wish more people understood about neurodivergence?
I truly grew up believing that I wasn’t smart.
I struggled in traditional learning environments, and in many ways I feel like I was left behind because the way I learned didn’t fit the way I was being taught. I wish there had been more hands-on learning and more recognition that intelligence doesn’t look the same for everyone.
More than anything, I wish I’d had more compassion for myself. I spent so many years interpreting the things I found difficult as personal failings rather than understanding that my brain simply worked differently.
I think that’s what I wish more people understood about neurodivergence. Struggling with certain things doesn’t mean someone isn’t intelligent, capable or trying hard enough.
What are some of the strengths or superpowers you’ve discovered through being neurodivergent?
I find it very easy to attune to others emotionally. I’m naturally curious about people and their stories, and I can often sense when someone’s feeling uncomfortable or becoming self-conscious.
I’m also good at demonstrating and clearly articulating what I need from someone in a way that’s warm and encouraging. That’s a huge part of my work because I’m constantly guiding people who might feel completely out of their comfort zone, while still wanting the experience to feel relaxed and natural.
Creatively, ideas come very easily to me. Especially when I'm brainstorming with someone else. I make connections quickly and I’m good at seeing possibilities, the bigger picture, or a different way of approaching something. I can hold a lot of moving parts in my head at once, which is something I’ve realised really serves me in photography.
I’m also very adaptable and flexible. I tend to lean on my intuition and respond quickly to what’s happening in front of me. I’m often more comfortable going with the flow than following a rigid process.
What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced—and what has genuinely helped?
A few years into motherhood, I could feel that the strategies I'd relied on to juggle work, family and the mental load of running a business simply weren't enough anymore. My eldest was three, life was full in every direction, and the administrative side of my business was becoming increasingly difficult to stay on top of.
That's what led me to seek a formal ADHD diagnosis. I knew I needed a different approach.
My psychiatrist was incredibly kind and compassionate. I remember him pointing out that the demands on the 25-year-old version of me were completely different from the demands on me in my 40s, raising two young children and running a business. I needed a completely different strategy.
That gave me so much perspective. I started building more support around me, outsourcing parts of my business and rallying a great healthcare team. Most importantly, I stopped expecting myself to be able to do everything in the same way I always had.
Was there a moment when you finally felt understood or accepted?
Through my work, I photograph so many entrepreneurial people, and it’s been fascinating to discover just how many of them are neurodivergent.
There’s something really validating about connecting with incredibly capable and creative people whose brains work in similar ways.
It’s also given me a real appreciation for how we’re able to craft businesses and working conditions that support us to thrive and create work that feels genuinely fulfilling.
If someone is newly diagnosed, or a parent has just learned their child is neurodivergent—what would you want them to know?
Knowledge is power.
Understanding how your brain works gives you the ability to advocate for yourself or your loved one, and to have so much more compassion for the things that might feel challenging.
It also gives you the opportunity to understand your unique learning style, sensory sensitivities and what you need to thrive, rather than constantly trying to fit yourself into environments or expectations that don’t work for you.
What does living authentically look like for you now?
I’ve carved out an entire business that provides me with the connection, variety and creative stimulation that I find truly satisfying.
I feel like the next evolution for me is rallying even more administrative support around myself, so I can spend more of my time in my zone of genius, doing the work that energises me and leaning into the way my brain works best.
What's one misconception about neurodivergence that you'd love to challenge?
I remember going to a doctor when I was concerned about my cognition and being met with complete dismissiveness.
I was told, "There are so many women your age getting diagnosed at the moment, there's not even anyone I can refer you to."
At times I've felt the assumption that because more women are being diagnosed later in life, it's somehow a trend. But for so many of us, we're looking back over an entire lifetime and finally receiving a diagnosis that validates the challenges and experiences that have always been there.
I feel proud that I advocated for myself. I knew my lived experience, I knew I needed more support and insight into what I was experiencing cognitively, and I knew it was worth seeking a second opinion.
Finish this sentence: “If my younger self could see me today, they would know…”
There’s an incredibly rewarding and creative career ahead of you. It’s going to take you on some great adventures and connect you with the most wonderful people.
Follow Michelle
Instagram: @eyesoflovephotography
At The Neurodiverse Network, we’re a neuro-affirming psychology clinic based in Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, offering ADHD and Autism assessments, therapy, and NDIS supports for children, teens, and adults.
Our team of Gold Coast psychologists provide neurodiversity-affirming care, recognising and celebrating the strengths of every individual.
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