With as many as 1-in-5 people thought to be neurodivergent, the Salvesen Mindroom Centre will host an international event exploring hard-hitting topics ranging from stigma to sexual taboos associated with neurodivergence and provide a platform for work that showcases the diversity and expertise of neurodivergent people.

The ‘It Takes All Kinds of Minds’ global event at the EICC in Edinburgh will run from 13 – 14 March 2023 bringing together more than 50 of the world’s top neurodiversity thinkers, alongside healthcare experts, policy decision-makers, educators, employers, and families. Neurodivergent people will be represented in every part of the programme and amongst the delegates.

The neurodiverse speaker line-up will include neuroscientists and nutritionists, campaigners, clinicians, artists, actors, and activists. Keynotes will include Professor Sue Gathercole, OBE, of the University of Cambridge – an expert in cognition and education, and Chair of the UK’s REF panel for Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, and Dr Kathy Leadbitter of University of Manchester, who has pioneered work on neurodiversity-informed early intervention.

Other key speakers include Swedish clinician and psychiatrist, Dr Lotta Borg Skoglund, who has been commended for her research into gender and neurodiversity, as well as her efforts to break down stigmas faced by neurodivergent young people. She will be joined by neurodiversity thought leader and autistic author, Dr Nick Walker, who will be joining us from California, popular Scandinavian writer and speaker, Pelle Sandstrak, who uses humour to share experiences of living with Tourette syndrome, and jewellery designer, Charlotte Garnet, who launched an “anti-anxiety” collection.


Looking ahead to next year’s event, Sophie Dow, Founder of the Salvesen Mindroom Centre and Co-Chair of ITAKOM said:
“Since launching in 2000, Salvesen Mindroom Centre has been committed to raising awareness of neurodiversity, supporting families and funding research to improve the lives of neurodivergent people.”

“It Takes All Kinds of Minds is a conference like no other. It will bring together science and reality by drawing on personal, practitioner and academic experience from around the world. Uniting different perspectives will help us all to understand neurodiversity better and we look forward to welcoming guests from around the globe.”

The conference will run from 13 – 14 March 2023. Visit itakom.org to take advantage of our Early Bird offers until October 31st – £225 for personal tickets, £325 for delegates with funding, and £155 for those on reduced incomes.