Counseling for Teens with Autism

Finding a Therapist for Autism can be Hard.

If you’ve been diagnosed with ASD or suspect you might have autism, it can be hard to find support. Therapists might not understand, making the whole process of getting counseling overwhelming. How do you find someone who gets you, without having to explain how your brain works?

I’ve spent approximately a decade working with neurodivergent young people. I want the people I work with to feel safe, accepted, and understood. When you’re getting help, you should focus on yourself, not worry that the provider is judging you.

Autism can affect many different aspects of our mental health

I work with autistic individuals on their goals, which may or may not involve managing ways autism can make life challenging.

I view autism through an intersectional lens: you don’t have to focus on your autism to treat depression, but your experience of depression may be shaped by autism.

Therapy helps you figure out what you need & get you where you want to be.

Sometimes, people come to therapy with specific goals, like depression. Other times, it’s complex bundle of anxiety/sadness/trauma/body image/stress/pressure. These feelings can be overwhelming. It can seem like the only way out is to just become a different person.

You’re not the only one who has gone through this. It’s hard, but it doesn’t have to be forever.

I’ve learned something in all my time counseling teens & families:
the way out is to be more - not less - of you.

What do teenagers do in therapy?

Therapy supports both teens AND their families

I find that teenagers benefit when their parents are also supported.

I like to provide families education about mental health and emotional development. I find that parents want to know what’s going on with their child’s mental health. Parents want to support their teenagers and know that they are overcoming depression, anxiety or whatever brought them to counseling. Part of therapy involves working together to figure out how to get the support you need from the people around you.

Adolescence is often as hard and confusing for the family as it is for the teen.

Parents often tell me they’re not sure what’s going on with their daughter. I’ve been told things like she’s “lost her spark and I don’t know why.” They often aren’t sure what’s going on and don’t know how to help. As a teen therapist, I help teenagers and their families reconnect. No matter how disconnected you feel, there is hope for your relationship with your teenager.

How much will be shared with my parents after the session?

According to the state of North Carolina, teens are the boss when it comes to therapy.

Teenagers can consent to mental health treatment without needing their parent’s approval. Their mental health information is also confidential, except in severe situations (where “notification is essential to the life or health of the minor” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90‐21.4).

I encourage all teens to collaborate with their families to the extent that they feel comfortable. It’s understandable that parents want information about what is going on in therapy, so I work with teenagers and parents to keep the lines of communication open.

Teens in Texas need safe spaces, too.

I ask all parents to respect their child’s privacy when it comes to therapy. Texas does not allow teenagers to consent for their own mental health treatment - the approval of a parent or guardian is needed.

Still, I ask parents to treat therapy as a refuge for their teen. We all need spaces where we feel comfortable sharing our insecurities and fears. Parents can ask their teenager directly for information, and trust that their therapist will alert them when there are real threats to their teen’s health and safety.

Counseling Rates

Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some benefit in a few sessions, while others create huge changes over several sessions.

Standard Fees:

50-minute counseling sessions are $175.

I have a limited number of sliding scale spots, starting at $125 per session.

Using Insurance for Counseling:

I have tried to use insurance and found it harrowing. You know how insurers don’t like paying for things? This also applies to therapy.

I have had an insurance company tell me two months into seeing a client that they were denying all claims, and they were caused by work-related issues. The kicker? The client was in middle school.

To avoid having to put myself and my clients in a situation where you are unexpectedly stuck with a two-month therapy bill or me having to write off all that income, I do not accept insurance. I would encourage you to request a sliding-scale fee instead.

Online Therapy for Teens in North Carolina & Texas