Finally, a space where
your brain makes
complete sense.

Late-diagnosed autistic adults often describe a specific kind of grief — looking back at a life lived without a map, finally understanding why so much was so hard. Getting a diagnosis, or recognizing yourself in the description of autism for the first time, doesn't erase that. But it changes what you do with it.

What autism looks like in adults

Autistic adults are a diverse group — there is no single presentation. What they share is a nervous system that processes the world differently: sensory input, social information, transitions, expectations. Some have known they were autistic for years. Many are diagnosed later in life, after decades of adapting, compensating, and wondering why certain things that seem easy for others require so much more effort.

Masking — the effortful process of suppressing or camouflaging autistic traits to fit in — is extremely common, particularly in adults who were not identified early. It is protective in some contexts and deeply costly over time. Research consistently links chronic masking to burnout, anxiety, depression, and loss of sense of self.

What brings people to therapy

• A new or recent autism diagnosis and the process of making sense of it
• Burnout — a state of profound depletion after extended periods of masking and overextension
• Anxiety and sensory overwhelm that interfere with daily life
• Difficulty with relationships — not because of lack of care, but because of genuine differences in communication and processing
• A lifetime of feeling like you were performing normalcy rather than living it
• Figuring out what accommodation, support, and self-understanding actually look like in practice

How I work with autistic adults

I work from an affirming, non-pathologizing framework. Autism is not a disorder to be corrected. It is a neurological profile with real strengths and real challenges — and therapy should address both honestly.

That means we work on the things that are actually causing you difficulty: anxiety, burnout, relationships, identity, the particular exhaustion of navigating a world not designed for your nervous system. We don't work on making you less autistic. We work on building a life where you don't have to pretend to be something you're not.

I am PEERS trained and W-CAT credentialed, with over 20 years working with autistic clients across ages and presentations. I work with adults, young adults, and teens, in person in Newport Beach and via telehealth throughout California.