Counseling Services for Neurodivergent Kids, Teens & Adults
Being neurodivergent means that your brain is wired differently. This may be associated with diagnoses such as autism, ADD/ADHD, sensory processing differences, or learning challenges. Being different doesn’t mean being less. Differences do not mean deficits.
We offer play therapy and mental health counseling with a neurodiversity-affirming approach. AutPlay® Therapy is for neurodivergent kids and teens (ages 3-18). AutPlay® is a family play therapy approach that addresses the mental health needs of individuals. It includes targeted interventions tailored to the client’s needs that focus on regulation, social skills navigation, and connection-building.
Carrie Manning and Presley Gibson are Certified AutPlay® Therapy Providers.
For more about AutPlay®: https://autplaytherapy.com/
How do I know if my neurodivergent child needs counseling or play therapy?
Counseling services are not needed just because someone is autistic or neurodivergent. Individuals come to therapy because they have mental health need(s) that can be met through play therapy or counseling. These needs may include:
Anxiety or worries
Depression
Trauma
Emotional regulation struggles
Social navigation needs
Life changes (divorce, family changes)
Grief and loss
Parent/child strain
Relationship problems
Self-worth issues
Autism & Counseling
Our counseling approach to working with autistic individuals is not focusing on autism as something that needs to be cured or fixed. Instead, we hope to offer therapeutic support through a neurodiversity-affirming lens. Every autistic person is unique with their strengths and weaknesses. We would be working together to help you identify and build upon your strengths, and if you are experiencing struggles that are getting in the way (of your life, work, or relationships), we can work on improving those. Together we can establish treatment goals that are a good fit for you, such as working on helping you manage symptoms of anxiety or stress.
We do not offer diagnostic testing for an Autism diagnosis, but we can help provide referrals upon request.