No. You do not need a formal autism or ADHD diagnosis to begin therapy with me.

I work with people who have been formally diagnosed, identify as neurodivergent, or are exploring whether autism or ADHD might help explain their experiences.

For many people, particularly those exploring neurodivergence in adulthood, this process involves reflecting on lifelong patterns, understanding sensory, emotional, and social experiences, exploring masking or burnout, and reconsidering how they've learned to navigate the world.

Therapy can provide a space to explore these questions without pressure to reach a particular conclusion or adopt a specific label.

While I do not provide formal psychological testing, I can help you better understand your experiences, explore whether pursuing an evaluation would be meaningful to you, and identify ways to support your needs regardless of diagnostic status. If you decide to pursue an evaluation, I can also help you explore options for finding a neurodiversity-affirming provider.

Exploring autism or ADHD in therapy looks different for everyone. You might be questioning whether you're neurodivergent, processing a recent diagnosis, or seeking a deeper understanding of experiences you've had throughout your life.

My approach focuses on understanding you as a whole person rather than viewing individual traits or challenges in isolation. Together, we can explore your communication, emotions, relationships, sensory needs, and executive functioning, as well as experiences of masking or burnout. We'll also consider how your environment, life experiences, and the expectations placed on you have shaped your understanding of yourself and the ways you've learned to navigate the world.

For some, diagnostic labels are important because they can provide clarity, validation, and help people access resources such as educational and workplace accommodations and disability-related benefits. Others may prefer to explore their experiences without focusing on a particular label. There's no single right way to approach this process, and your relationship with diagnosis may change over time.

Whether you have a formal diagnosis or not, my goal is to help you better understand your experiences, recognize your needs, and explore ways of living that feel more authentic and sustainable.

Yes. Neurodivergent burnout, including experiences often described as autistic burnout, can involve profound exhaustion, reduced capacity, increased sensory sensitivities, difficulty concentrating or managing everyday demands, and feeling overwhelmed by things that previously seemed manageable.

In therapy, we can explore what might be contributing to burnout, including masking, sensory overload, ongoing stress, and the pressure to meet expectations that may not align with your needs or capacity.

Rather than assuming that returning to your previous level of functioning is the goal, we'll consider whether that level was realistic, sustainable, and aligned with your needs. Together, we can explore ways to reduce unnecessary demands, recognize your limits, identify supports, and develop more sustainable ways of navigating daily life.

The goal isn't simply to help you do more. It's to better understand your needs and create a life that allows room for your well-being, relationships, and the things that matter to you.

Masking refers to the ways people may consciously or unconsciously adjust, suppress, or conceal aspects of themselves to meet social expectations, avoid negative reactions, or navigate different environments. For neurodivergent people, this might involve hiding sensory discomfort, suppressing natural communication styles, or putting significant effort into behaving as others expect.

Over time, masking can become so automatic that you may not recognize when you're doing it. You might even find it difficult to identify your own needs, preferences, or ways of expressing yourself outside of the expectations you've learned to meet.

Unmasking involves exploring these patterns and making more intentional choices about how you express yourself and respond to your needs. It doesn't necessarily mean abandoning every strategy you've developed or behaving the same way in every environment.

In therapy, we can explore when and why you've learned to mask, how these patterns may have helped or protected you, and what they might be costing you. We can also work toward recognizing your needs, reconnecting with your preferences, and identifying where you have opportunities to express yourself more authentically.

Masking isn't always a choice, and unmasking isn't always safe or practical. Understanding these patterns can help you navigate the balance between authenticity, safety, and the realities of your environment.

Yes. Sensory sensitivities and executive functioning differences can affect many aspects of daily life, including work, relationships, routines, emotional well-being, and managing everyday responsibilities.

In therapy, we can work together to develop your individual sensory profile, exploring your sensory preferences and sensitivities, as well as what helps you feel comfortable and regulated. We can also explore how you navigate everyday demands, including getting started on tasks, organizing, transitioning between activities, and balancing competing priorities.

From there, we can identify practical supports that fit your needs, whether that means making changes to your environment, finding alternative ways to approach tasks, or adjusting expectations and demands that may not align with your capacity.

If you'd benefit from additional specialized support, I can also help you connect with occupational therapists who work with sensory processing and daily functioning. Occupational therapy can complement our work together by providing additional tools and individualized support.