NEURODIVERGENT-Affirming Therapy in NYC

 


Living with a different type of mind in a world that’s not built for you is challenging at best.

If you’re autistic or an ADHDer (or curious about whether those or other diagnoses align with your experience) you may have received messages from family, peers, teachers, or bosses throughout your lifetime that you’re too much, not enough, or somehow both.

Even though there’s been so much more awareness around neurodiversity in recent years, society still has a long way to go when it comes to understanding differences and meaningfully including and accommodating them.

Some folks struggle and feel shame about not being able to show up in the way that neurotypical society demands. Others appear to be doing well on the outside, while internally experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety, often culminating in meltdowns, shutdowns, or burnout.

As a clinician with neurodivergent lived experience and who embraces and values differences, I use a neurodivergent-affirming lens. Neurodivergent-affirming clinicians normalize and celebrate the idea that all types of minds exist. We don’t view differences as deficits, and we see clients as the best experts on themselves.

Neurodivergence profoundly shapes our inner world and the way we move through life. Many clients share that past therapy with providers who were not informed about neurodivergence left a lot missing, or attempted to change their inherent differences in harmful ways.

I don’t believe it’s truly possible to isolate neurodivergent experience from concerns like trauma, relationship challenges, anxiety, and the other reasons people seek therapy. It’s all interconnected, and working with a provider who gets it can be a game changer!

Because clients vary so much in what they may need, therapy with neurodivergent clients can look many different ways, and you get to decide what’s important to you and ultimately what you’d like to work on in therapy.

As some examples, we might:

  • Help you to better identify what’s contributing to your stress and anxiety

  • Learn more about your specific profile and needs

  • Discuss new ways to accommodate or advocate for yourself

  • Experiment with new coping strategies

  • Have a nuanced conversation about masking or unmasking

  • Unpack how experiencing trauma and ableism across your lifespan has impacted you

Rather than trying to fit you into a one-size-fits-all box, we will pull from the modalities that make the most sense and if necessary, adjust them to your specific needs.

I don’t provide standalone skills coaching. In my work, sustainable change comes from understanding the whole person, beyond daily challenges and coping skills. While I’m glad to explore practical strategies, my therapy approach also includes exploring your challenges AND strengths, understanding your personal history including the role of trauma, and considering systems and the broader world we live in. Many people with marginalized identities, including women and gender minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and BIPOC clients, are discovering neurodivergence for the first time. For clients who would like to explore these intersections, I welcome open, thoughtful conversations about identity and lived experience.

If you’re interested in working together, please feel free to reach out here and we’ll schedule some time to talk!