On October 3, the Minnesota Neuropsychology (MNNP) team gathered for our inaugural Fall Retreat—an energizing day designed to reconnect us with our purpose, strengthen our MNNP identity, and celebrate the heart of the work we do every day. Through reflection, creative exercises, and meaningful conversation, we paused to look inward at who we are as individuals, who we are as a team, and who we strive to be for the people we serve.
Honoring the Wildness and Strength Within
The retreat opened with a grounding reflection inspired by Glennon Doyle’s Untamed: “Even a cheetah raised in captivity knows its wildness inside.”
Dr. Liz Adams reminded us that our work is rooted in recognizing the innate brilliance, resilience, and strength in neurodiverse individuals—strength that often shines even when the world has tried to tame it. This message set the tone for the day: every person who walks through our doors carries a unique spark, and part of our responsibility is to help them see it, understand it, and trust it.
If MNNP Were a Person…
One of the most insightful conversations of the day centered around imagining MNNP as a person—an exercise that allowed our team to reflect on our collective identity and how we are experienced by others.
Our team described MNNP as:
- Empowering, compassionate, intelligent, and warm
- Charismatic and deliberate, with a strong sense of purpose
- Tenacious, never giving up
- Curious, always digging into the “why”
- Deeply supportive
- A champion of individuality
- Flexible, validating, and detail-oriented
- Inviting and chic
- Someone who “embraces the gray,” sees nuance, and approaches others with empathy and understanding
This portrait reflects not only the spirit of our practice, but also the values our team carries into each session, each assessment, and each conversation.
Our Mission, Vision, and Values
Our Mission
We cultivate love and compassion for people with unique learning styles, and we build a path forward through clear and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations.
Every evaluation is more than a set of scores—it is an act of care, clarity, and empowerment.
Our Vision
To build a future where neurodiverse learners are empowered to lean into their strengths and to find compassion, confidence, and courage to overcome their challenges.
This vision guides our commitment to changing narratives, building confidence, and helping individuals understand their brains in ways that foster pride rather than shame.
Our Values
Our values shape how we show up—for our clients and for each other:
- Empathy – meeting every client with understanding and humanity
- Empowerment – helping individuals recognize their capabilities and their worth
- Authenticity – creating real, honest, affirming experiences
- Collaboration – working as a united team, with clients and families as partners
- Innovation – continually improving our methods, tools, and approaches
These values are lived daily in the way we greet clients, validate emotions, and create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and respected.
Looking Ahead
Our inaugural Fall Retreat was more than a day away from the office—it was a celebration of the heart and soul of MNNP. It reminded us why we do this work, how deeply it matters, and how much we can achieve when we honor both the science and the humanity within neuropsychology.
We left with a renewed sense of purpose, a clearer understanding of who we are, and an even stronger commitment to empowering neurodiverse learners across Minnesota and beyond.
