Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Explore psychological flexibility: making room for difficult experiences while taking steps toward a meaningful life guided by your values.
My Approach & Philosophy
Your brain is not broken.
You do not need to be fixed.
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), this belief is at the heart of my practice.
I specialize in neurodiversity-affirming, audio-only therapy for adolescents and young adults ages 14–24. Whether you are Autistic, have ADHD or sensory processing differences, or are questioning your neurodivergent identity, my goal is to help you navigate a world often built around neurotypical expectations—without losing who you are.
Contact Amy
01 / A Neurodiversity-Affirming Lens
Support that respects who you are.
Masking can mean hiding natural traits, suppressing stims, or monitoring how you appear to others. If that has been exhausting, we can make space to understand the cost and explore your choices.
We do not make acting neurotypical the goal. We focus on your well-being, your needs, and what feels meaningful to you.
Embracing Your Unique Profile
Explore your sensory needs, executive functioning style, and energy patterns. We’ll get curious about what supports you and what drains you.
Deconstructing Shame
Unpack the belief that difficulty with everyday tasks is a personal or moral failure. We can build a kinder understanding of your experience.
Building Accommodations
Find practical, realistic adjustments and workarounds that fit your brain and circumstances, rather than measuring you against a neurotypical standard.
02 / The Power of Audio-Only Therapy
Less camera pressure.
More room for your needs.
A phone- or voice-only format removes self-view and camera framing. For some people, this reduces the effort of monitoring eye contact, facial expressions, or posture.
During our calls, you can explore safe ways to feel comfortable and regulated:
- Pace in a private space, stretch, change position, or lie down.
- Use a fidget or doodle. We can discuss whether a quiet activity helps you stay connected to the conversation.
- Use a familiar blanket or sit with a comforting pet.
Reducing visual demands may leave more energy for your thoughts and feelings. Audio-only is not the best fit for every person; we’ll consider your communication preferences, privacy, and clinical needs together.
Explore Audio-Only Therapy03 / My Therapeutic Toolbox
Different tools for different needs.
No two people experience the world in exactly the same way. I draw from these approaches and adapt our work to your goals, preferences, and response to therapy.
Adapted DBT Skills (ND-DBT)
Practice distress tolerance and emotion regulation skills with attention to sensory needs, processing pace, and everyday demands. We can also explore distress around perceived rejection, sometimes described as Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD).
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
Notice your inner critic and build self-compassion. We can explore reassuring language, pacing, and grounding that feel supportive to you.
Parts Work (Internal Family Systems)
Explore different parts of your experience—such as a part that masks, feels overwhelmed, or becomes deeply focused—with curiosity rather than judgment.
Narrative Therapy
Separate who you are from the challenges you face. Question outside expectations and shape your own story of what growth and success mean.
Polyvagal-Informed & Somatic Practices
Explore body cues, patterns of activation, and signs that you need rest or support. Gentle grounding practices may help you notice and respond to overwhelm; we’ll adjust or stop anything that doesn’t feel helpful.
These tools are selected collaboratively. Using adapted DBT skills is different from enrolling in a comprehensive DBT program. No single approach is guaranteed to work for everyone.
04 / Systemic & Practical Support
Your life has context.
As an LMFT, I consider your relationships and the systems around you—family, school, friendships, and work—alongside your individual experience.
Adolescents · Ages 14–18
Explore growing independence, family dynamics, and ways to advocate for your needs with the adults in your life. We’ll review clinical privacy, its limits, and caregiver involvement based on your age, consent arrangements, and applicable requirements.
Emerging Adults · Ages 18–24
Work on the practical demands of adulthood, including managing overwhelm and burnout, navigating college or work, and identifying accommodations you may want to request from an accessibility office or employer.
How We Begin
Collaborative. Thoughtful. At your pace.
Your voice shapes the work. You can ask for a pause, tell me what isn’t helping, or ask for a different way to approach a question.
Start with a brief inquiry through the Contact page. We’ll discuss fit and next steps, then begin clinical care with a formal intake and secure paperwork.
Reach Out to Amy Explore the FAQs