Frequently asked questions
What does neurodiversity affirming therapy mean? How is it different than regular therapy?
Most therapy in the U.S. uses the medical model as its guidepost. The medical model views therapy as "treatment" for disorders or pathology. The medical model or pathology paradigm separates human experience into normal and abnormal, or functioning and malfunctioning.
Neurodiversity affirming therapy / autistic centered therapy and the neurodiversity paradigm do not subscribe to the ideas of normal and abnormal. The neurodiversity paradigm states that neurodivergence is a natural and valuable form of human diversity, not a disorder.
In order for therapy to be truly neurodiversity affirming and a non-judgmental supportive space, it has to divest itself of the medical model. The neurodiversity paradigm and neurodiversity affirming therapy are inherently anti-oppressive. In order to really support people, we have to first not buy into a harmful oppressive narrative that neurodivergence is abnormal or something to be cured. Neurodiversity affirming therapy does not seek to make people "more neurotypical" in any way. Instead, it supports us in all that we are, including our neurodivergence.
Neurodiversity affirming therapy provides us a unique space to explore our intersectional identities. It is common for clients to want to collaborate on revisiting the past from a neurodiversity affirming perspective. This may include exploring any shame that may be present and cultivating self-compassion or identifying accommodations to live life in a way that feels increasingly authentic.
Often people want to talk about unmasking and feel supported in what may come up for them during this ongoing and very personal process. Sometimes clients are wanting to begin to feel more connected to the body, or maybe are experiencing meltdowns, shutdowns or neurodivergent burnout. We may talk about our unique nervous systems and how to support them in general and specific ways.
Other common topics that may come up are processing the pros and cons of a formal diagnosis, navigating self disclosure and boundaries with loved ones or working through grief and ongoing work/ life/ energy balance issues.
Sometimes people are not looking to talk about any of these things particularly but are wanting to see an autistic or AuDHD therapist because it can feel like a safer space to process other issues or concerns they bring to therapy.
Do you have any in person appointments available?
Inner Worlds Counseling, LLC is a telehealth only practice. I see clients located anywhere in the following states: Pennsylvania (PA), New Hampshire (NH), Nevada (NV), Delaware (DE), Vermont (VT), South Carolina (SC), Florida (FL) and Alaska (AK). I offer telehealth appointments exclusively for accessibility.
What does trauma informed mean? I may not be ready to work on processing my trauma, is that okay?
Trauma informed means that a provider normalizes the experience of having trauma - because as humans most of us have had this experience in some shape or form. This is particularly true for neurodivergent people since we are living in a world that in many ways isn't designed for our neurotype. I assume that anyone I'm in session with may have trauma, even if they haven't disclosed it or may not want to ever share it with me. A trauma informed approach seeks to always understand and respond to the impact of trauma on people's lives with an emphasis on physical, psychological and emotional safety.
If you have had the experience of trauma but are not ready to talk about it or do "trauma work" in session that's absolutely fine. You never have to do that if you don't feel ready or you don't feel it's best for you. We all have an innate sense of if and when and how we may want to approach this, and it's different for everyone.
If you do feel ready to process trauma, we can do that too. As neurodivergent people we may feel disconnected from ourselves or even overwhelmed or unsafe inside of our bodies. If you are wanting to feel supported in connecting with your body as a safer space and releasing trauma in therapy, we can explore somatic approaches and / or EMDR. These are client led, go at your own pace, evidence based approaches and can be done in a neurodiversity affirming way.
What therapeutic modalities do you use?
The neurodiversity affirming approach isn't centered in a single modality, it's an anti-oppression perspective that I use with all modalities. Depending on what you want to collaborate on in therapy or any goals you may have, I pull from congruent therapeutic modalities I'm trained in. These include Somatics, Narrative therapy, Queer theory, Acceptance and Commitment therapy, Existential therapy, EMDR and a strengths based solutions focused practice.
I'm not sure if I'm neurodivergent. I don't have an official diagnosis. Can I still see you?
If something about being neurodivergent resonates with you that is valid and it's something that we can explore in therapy together. Our identities are often complex, intersectional and evolving. Self-realization and identification of our identities and neurotype can be an ongoing process of self-discovery. There are many types of neurodivergence, and a good number of us will identify with one or more during our lifetime.
Even if you decide in therapy that neurodivergence is not one of your identities, you are welcome if it feels like a good fit for you. I have years of experience supporting neurotypical folks too!
In addition to neurodivergence I also specialize in supporting LGBTQIA+ folx and relationship-diverse, kink, disabled/chronic illness and activist communities. Some of my clients don't identify as neurodivergent but span one or more of these communities.
What does therapy cost? And why don't you take insurance?
Individual therapy is $130 for a 60 minute session.
Inner Worlds Counseling, LLC is a self pay / private pay practice. This means that I don't participate with insurance in any way, either as an in network provider or an out of network provider. This also means that invoices cannot be paid by a client and then submitted afterward to an insurance company for reimbursement.
If cost is a barrier I encourage you to reach out to me to see if I have any reduced fee spots. I offer weekly and biweekly appointments and have some evening and weekend availability. For people who find that therapy is a financial stretch, biweekly appointments sometimes are a good fit. We can talk about ways in session to build in alternative supports on our "off" weeks to get the most out of your therapeutic experience.
Accessibility to therapy is really important to me and I wish that I could do more to make it something that everyone can afford. I know that one of the ways that people are able to participate in therapy is through insurance and that not using insurance can be a barrier. In an effort to be inclusive, I have kept my fee below the market average, especially given my specialty which often charges $200+ an hour. But I fully acknowledge that access to therapy is a privilege that we don't all have. It is not something I have always had available to me either.
I choose not to take insurance because it utilizes the Pathology Paradigm rather than the Neurodiversity Paradigm. In addition, many of my clients are concerned about their privacy regarding protected health information. This has been an increasing concern with insurance companies (data breaches etc).
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I work in mental health as a therapist, coach or other helping professional. Would you consider seeing me in therapy?
Yes! I almost always have some mental health professionals on my caseload and I'm totally open to this if we're a good fit. I know it is difficult for autistic therapists in particular to find other autistic therapists with availability. I really enjoy working with other helping professionals of all sorts.
Are there accommodations available?
Absolutely! We can talk more about what works best for you in a consultation, but neurodiversity affirming therapy strives to be extremely accommodating - so much so that it's not really an "accommodation" - it's just how it naturally is.
Some examples of this may be: choosing to have the camera off (after verifying identity at the beginning of session), utilizing the Zoom chat or an AAC device, email communication between sessions if desired, requesting a session summary in writing / brief plan for the next session, walking around or meeting any bodily needs to eat, rest, fidget, cuddle with your pet, fold laundry, lay on the bed, sit in silence etc. It's your time and I'm here to support whatever you need to be comfortable and in your authentic experience.
Being a neurodivergent therapist I also will be in my authenticity with you. This means that I won't be looking at you all the time, particularly when I'm trying to gather my thoughts. I probably have an ice cold or fizzy drink, a rock I'm fidgeting with, a cat nearby, and I write notes during session so that I remember things in context for next time.