Therapy & Coaching

Therapy & Coaching for Neurodivergent & Gifted Adults

Giftedness can be tricky to discern. Is it anxiety, sensitivity, or both? Is it boredom or attention problems? Is it burnout or a poor fit? Is it flightiness or do you just learn fast?

You might be an undiagnosed gifted adult or neurodivergent if:

  • You feel different, always have, and you're not sure why.
  • You had a large vocabulary and complex sentence structure as a kid.
  • You waffle between a super long attention span and being bored out of your mind.
  • Intensity and sensitivity.
  • Wide range of interests that you burn through quickly, or flip back and forth between.
  • Interest in experimenting and doing things differently.
  • Divergent thinking and a tendency to put ideas or things together in ways that are unusual, not obvious, and creative.
  • Able to learn basic skills more quickly, with less practice.
  • Able to retain much information; unusual memory.
  • Unusual sense of humor.

Gifted Strengths / Corresponding Difficulties

  • Inquisitive / asks embarrassing questions.
  • Determined to complete tasks / resistance to direction and input.
  • Seeks systems and strives for order / seen as bossy or domineering.
  • Creative and inventive / may disrupt plans of others.
  • Intense concentration / resist interruption; seen as stubborn.
  • High energy / frustration with inactivity.
  • Diverse interests / seen as scattered.
  • Strong sense of humor / humor may disrupt.
  • Keen observer / sees inconsistencies and may become disillusioned.

My Expertise

I'm a licensed professional counselor and I specialize in neurodivergent and gifted kids, adolescents, and adults.

When I became a dad to two (amazing) neurodivergent kids, it kicked off a lifelong journey into understanding the unique strengths and challenges that are inherent to being gifted and neurodivergent. As it turns out, I'd been learning about giftedness my whole life because I – like many – was an "undiagnosed" gifted person.
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Unfortunately, gifted people are often misunderstood and misdiagnosed. Their intensity, excitability, sensory processing styles, and advanced abilities can sometimes look like other things (i.e., ADHD, autism, anxiety). That's not to say those other things aren't present, but a person's neurodiversity must be taken into account for appropriate help to be provided.
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This personal experience, coupled with my 1:1 work in coaching entrepreneurs, led me to pursue a career in counseling with a focus on helping kids, parents, and adults navigate giftedness with empathy, insight, and clarity.

I work with...

  • Giftedness and neurodivergence
  • Twice-exceptionality
  • Anxiety
  • Autism
  • Boredom
  • Depression
  • Existential concerns
  • Emotional regulation
  • Life changes
  • Entrepreneurs
Webb et al., 2016, p. 21-22

My Approach

I believe that effective therapy involves the mind and body – the experiential and the cognitive – and focuses on the past, present, and future.

My style blends candor with warmth, insight with empathy, and humor with compassion. I enjoy quick-witted conversations, existential ponderings, and geeking out over just about anything.
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My practice affirms non-binary and LGBTQ+ people and the profound impacts of intergenerational racial trauma.

Strengths-Based

We all have strengths, and therapy too often only focuses on problems. I help you identify and leverage your strengths to bring lasting change into your daily life.

Gestalt

This focuses on the physical experience and helps those of us who are stuck in our heads get out of our heads. Very helpful for people who often try to outthink their problems.

Internal Family Systems

‍Think "Inside Out" the movie. I use the concept of us having parts-that-make-a-whole to rework old patterns and learn to better integrate your full experience.

Narrative Therapy

‍This is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a creative overlay. It's considered "evidence-based" which means there is significant research supporting its effectiveness.

Interested?

Message me with questions! I am happy to help if I can. I also offer free 15 minute phone consults.

Contact MeMy Rates