meet melissa

I’m Melissa Knopp, founder of Minds Unstuck. 

My journey into the world of autism and neuro-differences began a long time ago. When I was 17, after high school, I worked at a summer camp. Day 1 was rough. My young, neurotypical campers struggled to understand and accept me (I was born missing fingers on one hand). 

On Day 2, my boss changed my placement to work with the campers with different support needs (then called 'special needs'). I met two autistic boys, and it changed my life. 

Yusuf was nonspeaking and and David was unreliably speaking. I couldn’t engage with them through words alone, and I still felt a deep and meaningful connection. We had fun! I didn't understand it, and I really wanted to. 

Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to bringing respect and meaning to autistic and N.D. people’s experiences (and learning how to). I always remained in curious contact with that true connection, despite the outer 'noise' of someone's body (which I later learned to be apraxia and the brain/body disconnect). After all, for some, my body had its own outer 'noise'. 

For 19 years, my educational and professional path has focused on autism and neuro-developmental care. I hold degrees in Applied Psychology (B.S.), Elementary and Special Education (M.S.Ed), and a Postgraduate Credential in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as a Behavior Analyst (BCBA). My journey has taken me from NYC to San Diego to Miami, and from Teacher to Program Director which then also became Communication Partner and BCBA and Instructor and Leader. 

Each step of the way, I've met some inspiring, intelligent, influential individuals. Some were autistic, some were not. Some were clients or students, some were colleagues or mentors. These experiences and connections have profoundly shaped me and the mission of Minds Unstuck.

In addition to Minds Unstuck, I love the work that I do as an Instructor and Team Lead with Communication for Education, teaching text-based communication methods to parents and practitioners. I am also a team member with Autistically Inclined, a foundational organization in our community. 

At Minds Unstuck, our mission is to mainstream meaningful support for autism and all neurodevelopmental differences. Services should be holistic, informed, adaptable, practical, loving and effective. 

Through what we do and how we do it, big changes are possible. Minds Unstuck when we show we understand that a full range of humanness lives inside of us all.