Almost every autistic person I’ve worked with describes some degree of pressure, even longing, to “be normal.” If only we could change the fundamental essence of who we are, if only we could speak differently, feel differently, see differently, experience passion differently – if only we could be more, be less — but not like that! Whether or not we’re able to “fake it,” this pressure to “mask” — to hide or change core aspects of who we are to accommodate the expectations of others — can be deeply painful. For some time, the mental health system focused should be on reshaping autistic behavior, essentially conditioning autistic people to mask more effectively; for many autistic people, unfortunately, the impacts of this approach have been shaming, for some, even traumatizing.

You may have felt a lot of pressure to become someone different.

I can relate to many of the common struggles we face: I have my own experiences navigating social spaces with an ineffable difference about me, and over the years have suffered my share of misunderstandings, shaming messages, and burn out. I viscerally understand how important it is to be seen and accepted for who you are, and I seek to provide that experience for others.

While I inevitably bring my personal history to this work, I recognize that there is no single, universal experience of autism. As a psychologist, I’ve seen how neglected the importance of cultural, racial, disability and gender diversity is in Western understandings of what autism looks like and what challenges people can face. I approach my work with humility and advocacy for these differences. My passion is reflected in the years I’ve dedicated to working with diverse groups of autistic people on a variety of concerns, including self-esteem, identity, relationships, stress management, depression, anxiety, late diagnosis, anger, burn out, multicultural identity, acculturation, trauma, dissociation, schizotypy, personality disorders and symptoms of psychosis.