Embrace Differences, Enhance Well-Being
Therapy for Neurodivergent Adults
It’s difficult to feel “different” and know that you struggle with things that some other people don’t. And, “different” doesn’t mean “worse.” At my practice, we celebrate the diverse perspectives and strengths of neurodivergent adults. Whether you identify as autistic, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, or have any other neurodivergent experience, I provide a supportive and accepting space to explore and manage your unique challenges while always holding space for your triumphs. I recognize the struggles you may face with fitting yourself into a neurotypical world, often at the expense of your true self. I am here to pull out and shine a spotlight on your authentic self and help you navigate life in a way that aligns with your interests and brain’s way of functioning and processing. I deeply value providing education on what is going on in the brain in an effort to help you understand what gets in the way of performing at a level you wish to see for yourself. My personalized approach focuses on enhancing your well-being. Some specific skills we can work on together are:
Executive functioning
Social skills
Emotional regulation
Unmasking
Self-advocacy
Processing receiving a diagnosis in adulthood
Increasing self-worth and self-esteem
Additionally, I am also here to help you work through and manage general struggles with your mental and emotional health. I always like to say, neurodivergence rarely travels alone, and is often accompanied by anxiety, depression, and/or other challenges. No matter the different abilities each human possesses, we are all humans riding the emotional roller coaster of life. I am here to understand the rollercoaster you’re on through a neurodivergent-affirming lens. I will help you process your thoughts and feelings and effectively cope with them, while also supporting you with establishing a gentler relationship between your neurodivergence and difficult emotional experiences.
How I got into this work:
I first started working with neurodivergent children when I was in high school. I volunteered at a program for children with special needs and fell in love with the work. During my undergraduate studies at the University of Rochester, I worked as a research assistant on two different studies for autistic children; one that focused on sensory experiences and another that focused on behavioral interventions. I loved having the opportunity to interact with these children and their families. When I went to graduate school, I worked for Trellis Services in Maryland, where I worked one-on-one with an autistic boy in his home, supporting him with emotional regulation, social skills, behavior modification, and activities of daily living skills. For my clinical internship during my final year of graduate school, I interned at the Adult Autism and Developmental Disorder Clinic at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, where I ended up working as a full time employee for a subsequent 5 1/2 years. There, I worked with adults who are autistic, have ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual Disability, Downs Syndrome, and rare genetic disorders. A great deal of the therapeutic work involved treating the co-occurrence of these diagnoses with other mental health challenges. In my private practice, I see a lot of adults who come to work with me after first receiving a diagnosis of autism or ADHD in adulthood. I am currently in the process of becoming an ADHD Clinical Services Provider. Working with neurodivergent individuals throughout all of these years has been incredibly fulfilling as I help people feel seen and understood for who they truly are, step into their authenticity, and become better equipped at handling the difficulties they face in their inner and outer world. I have taken the following trainings:
ADHD Certification Course: Advanced Strategies to Customize Treatment for Every Client (Ari Tuckman, PsyD, Marcy Caldwell, PsyD, Roberto Olivardia, PhD, Michelle Frank, PsyD, & Lidia Zylowska, MD) (Currently in this training)
Changing the ADHD Brain: Moving Beyond Medication (David Nowell, Ph.D.)
Smart but Scattered: Executive Dysfunction at Home and at School (Margaret Dawson, EdD, NCSP)
DBT for Neurodivergent Clients: Adapted Techniques to Improve Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal Skills in Clients with ADHD, ASD, and More (Hannah Smith, MA, LMHC, GCP)
Interactive Workshop on Therapeutic Engagement with Autistic Adults and Children (Katie Stetler, LCSW-C & Mary Wilbanks, LCPC, ASDCS, CAGCS, DBT-C)
Multiple In-Services at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
