Hello. My name is Nataliya Popova.
I’m the creator of Mindly Different, a space built for people whose minds don’t fit neatly into the expectations of the world around them – whether through neurodivergence, brain injury, sensitivity, or simply the complexity of being human.
My path into this work is both personal and professional.
My story
I often say I was born twice — first in 1987, and again in 2018.
That second birth came after an AVM embolization led to an ischemic stroke that stretched from the parietal to the temporal lobe that left me with significant cognitive, physical, and psychological sequelae. Overnight, the familiar world dissolved. Suddenly, simple tasks required enormous effort, and the landscape of my mind felt fragile, and unpredictable.
The years that followed were marked by profound challenges: recovering functions, raising my daughter, grieving my old capacities, rebuilding identity, and pursuing a psychology degree in a new language. Much of my progress came from my own research, relentless curiosity, and the generous inspiration of people who crossed my path at exactly the right moment.
But I also remember the loneliness – the feeling of being unseen, misunderstood, and left to figure everything out on my own.
I don’t want anyone else to feel that way.
The imperfect, human kindness I received – the kind that wasn’t always polished or complete, but was deeply personal – became the seed of Mindly Different.
My Professional Background
My work is grounded in both academic training and lived experience. I hold:
- a Specialist degree in Differential and Developmental Psychology from Saint Petersburg State University
- an official Spanish Degree in Psychology (UNIR)
- a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Health: From Food to Well-Being (EUNEIZ)
- training in Jungian sandplay therapy
- training in psychoeducational intervention in special education and music therapy by Antonio de Nebrija University
- certifications as a life coach and neurodiversity coach
My approach is: science-based, trauma-informed, strength-focused, holistic, curious, and deeply compassionate.
Why My Perspective Is Different
I am both a practitioner and a survivor – a wounded healer who understands not only the theories, but the lived reality of cognitive fatigue, identity loss, sensory overwhelm, slow recovery, and the complicated beauty of a brain that works differently.
My work comes from: continuous self-education, a dedication to understanding the brain, and the personal experience of rebuilding life after neurological change.
This dual lens allows me to support others not as a distant expert, but as someone who truly gets it.
How I work
My particular focus is on people with inborn or acquired neurodivergence – autistic and ADHD adults, brain injury survivors, and anyone who feels “different” in ways they can’t always explain.
My coaching blends:
- neuroscience
- psychology
- nutrition and wellbeing
- identity and self-worth
- everyday practical strategies
My style is warm, supportive, and steady.
I don’t abandon clients because they are complex.
We grow together, at a pace that respects the brain rather than fights it.
Why Mindly Different Exists
Because different does not mean broken.
Because every brain deserves understanding, not judgment.
Because healing is not linear.
And because no one should have to navigate neurodivergence or neurological change alone.
Mindly Different 