Areas of Expertise
Internal Family Systems
I am a Certified Level 3 IFS Practitioner. This means I am trained at the highest level available and have passed the certification process, supervised by Senior IFS Trainers. I have presented at the IFS Annual Conference for 2 years in a row, educating clinicians on autism as an embodied experience. I am a Program Assistant for Level 1 and 2 trainings and in September 2023, I was part of the team led by Dick Schwartz and Cece Sykes, that trained the staff of High Watch Recovery Center in IFS Level 1, making High Watch the first IFS Trained Recovery Center in the world!
Autism Awareness & Education
The autistic brain is complex and often misunderstood. I can help you with practical ways to improve your skills, whether you are the parent of an autistic child, an adolescent, or a newly-diagnosed adult. Whether you have a specific goal for yourself or are looking for ways to make connections that don't lead to burnout, I can help. My approach combines my understanding of autism with my training in Autism Studies and Internal Family Systems to allow you to learn more about your diagnosis and the unique way you fit in the world. The IFS model is a beautiful fit for the autistic mind. It allows for multi-dimensional connections to be made to Parts and the experiences and feelings they carry. Recognizing that Self is autistic and holds autistic traits and characteristics is an important part of the healing process as these traits can sometimes shift how Self appears. The qualities are the same (the 8 C's), but the presentation can be different. Knowing and embracing these differences allows for the relationship between our Parts and Self to be truly authentic.
Writing & Speaking
As well as my IFS Conference presentations, I have appeared on podcasts and in online journals, discussing my ideas and experiences as an autistic.
My presentation from the 2022 Internal Family Systems Annual Conference is available on the IFS YouTube channel and has been viewed more than 5,000 times.
My Approach
I work with individuals of all neurologies and mixed-neurology couples. My extensive training and my experiences as an autistic give me a unique perspective into the autistic system. Autism is a condition that impacts an estimated 3% of the population. Characterized as creating difficulties with social communication, restricted and repetitive behaviors, and sensory issues, our understanding of autism is beginning to change. But not quickly enough. I come from a family of autistics, including an undiagnosed mother who was institutionalized when she was 15 years old. In addition to my client work, I write, speak and educate about the autistic experience - what it's like to exist in a world that often doesn't make sense. As someone raised and socialized as female, sharing my experiences as an autistic woman and opening up space for conversations about issues with sex, burnout, connection, and what it's like to be part of the lost generation (the term used for women who went undiagnosed for most of their life) is closest to my heart.
