Neurodiversity & Affirming Trauma Treatment
“I recovered a sense of understanding and agency about my own identity that helped me feel hopeful about life again.”
Chronic stress is the norm for most people living with divergent brains in a society that values sameness. Embracing neurodiversity means assuming that stylistic differences in language, attention and mood among humans is important to nature, to society, to community, to the future of humanity and to the planet.
A Truly Collaborative Approach
No two brains are the same.
There’s a powerful movement in mental health (that started with activists). It’s about acknowledging that part of what helps humans thrive is that we all have different skills and strengths and we’re able to live and work together.
In every society in history, there have been people who experience the world in ways that drive innovation. Artists, philosophers, counter cultural figures. In our society genetic and biological orientations to the world that create differences in people’s ability to adapt to stress, communicate and process information are pathologized.
Neurodivergent people can have the same diagnosis or “clinical profile” on an evaluation done by a neuropsychologist (like ADHD, sensory processing disorders, autism, learning disabilities or high iq scores) and experience the world in different ways.
We know that stereotypes of neurodivergent people are problematic and need updating. We also know that neurodivergent people have some similar needs when it comes to therapy, like:
1) the ability to move freely and communicate in ways that feel authentic, and
2) the recognition that ablist approaches to mental health and well meaning support people have often been a part of the trauma and stress we’re trying to recover from.
That makes collaboration between a therapist and a client fundamental. You deserve cutting edge, practical information from a clinician that knows their sh*t…. and values your lived experience and the feedback of the communities clinicians serve.
If you’ve had the experience of being harmed by therapies that focus on your behaviors instead of your humanity or feeling misunderstood or dehumanized in academic or work environments, you’ve probably been confused or even terrified dealing with medical providers who acted as gatekeepers to accommodations.
If you’re dealing with burnout or exhaustion, spend way to much energy hiding parts of yourself and life or juggle isolation with shame and socially invalidating environments that mess with your self esteem, you deserve a therapist that gets you.
Recommended to Treat:
ADHD/Autistic & Burnout
Chronic Stress & Complex Trauma Related to School, Work or Family Expectations
Gifted Adults
Late Diagnosed Autistic Women & Gender Minorities
Emotion & Sensory Struggles (Being Under or Over Reactive to Your Environment)
Struggles with Life Planning & Stressors
Relationship Struggles & Mixed Neurotype Communication Difficulties
Interoception & Empathy Related Issues
Synesthesia & Mirror Touch Synesthesia
Social Anxiety & Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
Communication & Double Empathy Struggles For Loved Ones of Neurodivergent People
Physical and Emotional Issues (like isolation, guilt and anxiety) Associated with High or Low IQ Scores
Our Focus is on helping you:
Find real community and joy in ways that feel authentic for you.
Proactively prevent the anxiety and depression that often come with working overtime to function in an society that’s not built for you.
Communicate your needs in intimate relationships with partners, friends, family, and doctors and recognize when it’s safe to get help and disclose your diagnosis, your struggles or what’s happening in your day to day life.
Advocate for yourself at work and in school with the knowing that you have a therapist’s support when it comes to getting the accommodations you need to achieve your goals.
Come up with ways to leverage your strengths, operate in your zone of genius and outsource the stuff that’s not your wheel house.
Navigate clinical research that’s actually relevant and recent. If you want a diagnosis, we’ll give you one in a way that doesn’t follow old school ideas about how brains and people work. We’ll talk you through the risks and benefits of having a diagnosis and we’ll respect the one you give yourself.
Feel assured knowing we recognize the impacts of burnout, exhaustion, chronic stress and complex trauma from living in an ablist world and we’ll do our best to provide you with affirmation, validation and unconditional positive regard.
Reframe moralistic ideas about what you “should” be doing and drop the shame so you can feel joyful and worthy about who you are and what you bring to the table.
Learn to reduce harm done in relationships balancing your needs and respecting the behaviors you use to reduce stress. If they’re risky behaviors like substance use or unsafe sex, we’ll never try to undermine your autonomy or decision making as long as you’re not actively harming other people. And we’ll support you in creating safety for yourself and the people you love.
Support you in seeking psychiatric or alternative approaches to medication management. Whether it’s stimulants, meditation, SSRIS or psychedelics, we recognize that we’re still just learning how to support people in this field.
