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Does This Sound Like You?
- You identify as autistic (formal diagnosis or self-identified)
- You are questioning whether you might be autistic or neurodivergent
- You received a late-life autism diagnosis
- You feel different or like an alien
- You have unique strengths, but understanding social cues has always been a struggle
- You experience anxiety or burnout that stems from social expectations or sensory sensitivities
- You’re constantly trying to mask your true self and it’s exhausting
As a neurodivergent or autistic person, you are not broken or in need of fixing. Your developmental trajectory is simply different from neurotypicals. But instead of embracing your differences, society often expects you to conform and fit in. However, neurodiversity-affirming therapy can help you leverage your unique strengths to address your challenges.
Challenges We Can Address Together
Below are a few of the common challenges experienced by our neurodivergent clients.
- Autism and Anxiety
- Autism and Depression
- Autistic Burnout
- Autistic-Related Trauma
- Autism and Relationship Challenges
- Autism and Marginalized Identities
- Masking your authentic self
- Sensory overload
- Work issues
- Loneliness or depression
- Challenging family dynamics
Our therapists are mental health professionals with extensive knowledge about autism and neurodiversity, ensuring you feel understood and supported. We will help you thrive by fostering self-growth and self-compassion, overcoming challenges, and embracing your neurodivergent identity.
If you are seeking a supportive environment where you can explore your experiences as a neurodivergent person and develop valuable skills, we invite you to join us at Neurodiversity Wellness Center.
Autism and Anxiety
Feeling constantly on edge and anxious can make life incredibly challenging. As a neurodivergent person, the fear of making mistakes and being judged can be overwhelming. Social situations are especially tough as you try to fit in with peers, family, and colleagues. The worry of being rejected or ridiculed for not doing things “right” can leave you paralyzed and hesitant to take action. Social anxiety, performance anxiety, and perfectionism are challenges you know all too well.
Through individual counseling, you’ll learn neuro-friendly coping strategies to manage anxiety and build self-advocacy skills to reduce overwhelm. Discover more about our services by scheduling a free consultation.
Autism and Depression
Navigating a neurotypical world as a neurodivergent individual can be incredibly challenging and isolating. No matter how much effort you put in, it’s common to feel out of place. You might have opened up about your struggles, only to be met with dismissal or indifference, making you feel even worse. Without a neuro-friendly community, you may face social rejection and exclusion, leading to feelings of depression, sadness, and loneliness.
We want you to know that your struggles are seen and your emotions are valid. When you meet with one of our neurodiversity-affirming therapists, you will be welcomed with unconditional acceptance and understanding.
Your therapist will help you build a neuro-friendly community that offers the understanding and camaraderie you deserve. Learn more about our services by scheduling a free consultation.
Autistic Burnout
People often confuse autistic burnout symptoms with depression because they can look similar—both can involve low energy, lack of motivation, and irritability. However, autistic burnout, or neurodivergent burnout, stems from unmet neurodivergent needs and can last for months.
Autistic burnout usually results from constant overwhelm due to sensory overload, social demands, or managing everyday tasks like scheduling appointments, cleaning, or parenting. Life feels like too much, and every task, no matter how small, feels incredibly hard. Your body may start to shut down, making it difficult to do much or even speak. You may isolate yourself to cope. Many people mistake this experience for depression, but it might be autistic burnout.
The way out of autistic burnout is to learn to listen to your body and needs and find ways to support your neurodivergent wiring.
We are here to help! We understand autistic burnout and will guide you on your journey back to feeling balanced and peaceful. Learn more about our services by scheduling a free consultation.
Autism-Related Trauma
Research shows that autistic people are at a higher risk of experiencing trauma and PTSD. They face unique types of trauma, known as “autism-related trauma.” This can come from bullying, discrimination, and the challenges of living in a world that isn’t accommodating to autistic people. These challenges include sensory overload, frequent social misunderstandings, and struggles to fit in. Without proper help, the impact of autism-related trauma can last for years or even a lifetime.
However, with the support of a neurodiversity-affirming therapist, you can work through this trauma, embrace your autistic identity, and feel empowered. At Neurodiversity Wellness Center, our team of therapists are trained in trauma-informed care and specialize in supporting neurodivergent and autistic individuals.
We provide a safe and understanding environment to help you navigate life and address past traumas. Learn more about our services by scheduling a free consultation.
Autism and Relationship Challenges
You might find that, no matter how hard you try to explain yourself, misunderstandings and conflicts keep happening in your relationships. Your partner, friends, family, or colleagues may not understand your perspective or intentions. They might say you’re missing their point, and neither of you feels truly understood. This is known as the Double Empathy Problem. It’s common, especially when communicating with someone who is “neurotypical” — someone who thinks and acts in ways considered “normal” by most people. It’s like you’re speaking different languages, with different social rules and behaviors, leading to confusion and hurt feelings.
Even worse, neurotypical people often assume that misunderstandings are the autistic person’s fault. They might not see their own role in the miscommunication. If you’re often blamed for miscommunications, you might start feeling like everything is your fault, leading to self-doubt and low self-esteem. You might constantly overthink what to say or do, fearing you’ll get it wrong and be blamed.
As neurodiversity-affirming therapists, we understand how these experiences impact your life. We support you in building confidence and relationships with healthy communication and boundaries, where you feel respected, understood, and connected. We also offer guidance to help you navigate the complex emotions that come up around relationships.
We are here to support you at every step as you navigate the complexities of life and relationships. Learn more about our services by scheduling a free consultation.
Autism and Marginalized Identities
Being autistic in this world is hard enough, but it can be exponentially harder when you have other marginalized identities. For instance, you might identify as both autistic and a woman, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, or an ADHDer. You face negative stereotypes and discrimination on multiple fronts, making life exhausting and complicated. Bias and prejudice add layers of difficulty to your daily experiences. It’s crucial to have a space where you feel seen, heard, and validated.
As neurodiversity-affirming therapists, we are here to support your journey of self-exploration. We offer unwavering support and acceptance, helping you process the complex emotions and situations you face due to your multiple marginalized identities. You will develop greater self-understanding, self-acceptance, and self-compassion. We recognize the unique challenges you face and are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment.
Our approach is grounded in empathy and respect for your individual experiences. We aim to help you build resilience and find strength in your identities.
Through our work together, you can develop the tools to navigate life’s complexities with greater confidence and peace. Learn more about our services and how we can support you by scheduling a free consultation.
Benefits of Individual Therapy for Autistic Individuals
Through individual counseling sessions with one of our neurodiversity-affirming professionals, you’ll increase your self-understanding and learn new skills including:
- Skills to manage anxiety, overwhelm, depression, and trauma triggers.
- Communication skills to build healthy relationships and friendships.
- Strategies to adapt to change more easily and foster flexible thinking.
- Self-advocacy and self-compassion skills.
In therapy, you’ll get to explore your neurodivergent identity, your struggles, and your worries in a space that’s free from judgment. As you figure out what’s really important to you and how to make your life better, we’ll work on building the skills you need to reach those goals. We’ll focus on neuro-friendly skills that work with, rather than against, the natural way you are wired as a person. You’ll also get to practice these new strategies and get support from your therapist as you apply them in real-life situations.
Our Approach to Individual Therapy
for Neurodivergent Adults and Teens
Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach
Your therapist will create a neurodiversity-affirming space, allowing you to explore your neurodivergent identity with compassion and without judgment. Recognizing that you are the expert on yourself, your therapist acts as a guide, helping you tune into your feelings and needs. They assist you in listening to your inner wisdom to honor and support the natural way you are wired. Rather than teaching you to mask as neurotypical, your therapist will help you reconnect with your authentic self, build confidence, and advocate for your needs
We understand that a vital part of healing comes from the support of others who truly understand you. Therefore, we can help you build a neuro-friendly community where you feel accepted. You may have goals around improving communication with your partner or building friendships, and we will help you every step of the way.
Honoring and Celebrating What Makes You Uniquely You
We are here to help you recognize and celebrate the unique traits that make you wonderfully you. You are unique, so we will tailor your therapy to meet your unique goals and needs while respecting and celebrating your neurodivergence. Our team is dedicated to empowering you to confidently embrace your neurodivergence, build meaningful relationships, and live life on your own terms.
Other Approaches We Use
In addition to using a Neurodiveristy-Affirming Approach, we integrate other therapeutic approaches into our work to best support you. These include Internal Family Systems (IFS), Strengths-Based Approach, Narrative Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and Art Therapy. By engaging in these counseling sessions, you’ll learn valuable strategies and information to support your life in a neurotypical world. Additionally, you’ll gain insights and tools for self-acceptance, self-compassion, stress management, self-advocacy, and more. Our ultimate goal is to improve your wellbeing and quality of life, while honoring your neurodivergence.
Begin Individual Therapy for Autistic Adults and Teens in California
Finding a provider who feels like a good fit or taking the first step to reach out can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, you deserve support from a validating and neurodiversity-affirming professional. We understand the struggles you face, and we truly believe you are doing your best.
The first step is to set up a free consultation.
Fee / Rate
$220-$260 per 50-minute session*
Learn more about fees and payment.
Frequency
Usually, you’ll have weekly 50-minute online sessions with your therapist.
Location
All sessions are online only. We use HIPAA-compliant Zoom sessions. (Clients must reside in California to receive services.)
Additional Services and Resources at Neurodiversity Wellness Center
Our therapy clinic located in California serves autistic teens and adults. We provide mental health services to individuals who identify as autistic, late-life diagnosed, neurodivergent, AuDHD, or as having autistic traits. We also offer support to parents and partners of autistic individuals.
Currently, we are providing all our counseling services online in California. Our neurodiversity-affirming therapy team provides a variety of autism services including group therapy and parent counseling. We run several different neurodiversity-affirming groups for neurodivergent working professionals, women who identify as neurodivergent, autistic young adults, college students with autistic traits, and twice-exceptional youth who are both gifted and neurodivergent. Please contact our neurodivergent counseling office for more information on our services or to schedule a consultation.