Embrace Differences, Enhance Well-Being
Therapy for Neurodivergent Adults
It’s not easy to feel “different” in a world that wasn’t really built with your brain in mind. You might struggle with things others don’t, and that can feel isolating. But “different” doesn’t mean “less than.”
At my practice, I celebrate the strengths and diverse perspectives of neurodivergent adults, including those who identify as autistic, ADHD, intellectually disabled, or living with Cerebral Palsy, among other identities. Whether you’ve known you were neurodivergent for years or are navigating a new diagnosis in adulthood, I provide a safe, affirming space to explore your experiences, challenges, and strengths.
I understand that it takes a toll to constantly adapt to fit into a neurotypical world, often at the expense of authenticity, energy, and self-worth. In our work together, I will help you reconnect with your true self and equip you with the tools needed to live a life that’s aligned with your values, needs, and neurotype. Therapy can help with:
navigating a late diagnosis
Increasing self-worth and confidence
self-advocacy and boundary setting
emotional regulation
Executive functioning challenges
Social communication and connection
Unmasking and identity exploration
here to support the whole you
Neurodivergence often intersects with mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, stress, or grief. Therapy offers space to explore these experiences without shame and to develop practical coping strategies that respect your nervous system and how your brain processes the world.
My approach is neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed, and grounded in education, so that together, we can understand what’s happening in your brain to empower you to navigate life in a more effective and self-compassionate way.
You deserve support that sees you, not just your symptoms.
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, and I have achieved official certification as 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)
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
