Amber Pearson, MSW, LICSW (she/her)
Over the past few years, I have been sought out by folks who have had a hard time finding a therapist who “gets it” or others who feel incredibly hesitant to try therapy again, due to harm that was caused by well-intentioned providers, who had not yet questioned societal norms or challenged their understanding of neurodivergence. I’m an Autistic and ADHD therapist who’s experienced the challenges of fitting into a society that wasn’t made for me– with the added barrier of late diagnosis. When I received my diagnoses, SO MUCH of my childhood and young adult years finally made sense– I finally had words to understand myself and my experiences; likewise, I now had words to begin unmasking and self-advocating– providing my nervous system time to rest and heal.
My late diagnosis came about after deep-diving information… in a way only other Autistic or ADHD humans would understand, entrenched in the wonder and burden of our interest-based nervous systems and capacity for hyperfocus. While I believe that alternative neurotypes are an integral part of our society, I shy away from identifying them as “superpowers.” In therapy, I celebrate strengths and successes, while also holding space for grief and frustrations. I feel honored to share a space with folks who are in different places within their healing journey, whether that’s needing an environment with little to no demands, a place that provides acceptance and understanding for unmasking, or the support, challenge, and psychoeducation to develop insight, language, and tools for self-advocacy, coping strategies, accommodations, and/or modifications.
I practice collaboratively with others, regardless of their age or communication capacities, because I believe therapy is only beneficial when folks know why they’re coming and feel intrinsically motivated around those reasons. I work to help others identify internalized ableism and differentiate their own beliefs/goals from societal and cultural norms and expectations, while simultaneously holding space for factors that influence an individual’s privilege and safety to unmask, such as race, gender identity, sexual identity, etc. It’s hard for me to describe my therapy practice(s) with more specificity, because it looks so vastly different from one person to the next. I will work hard to meet you where you are at, using psychoeducation, play, experiential work, intersubjectivity, visuals, sensory-tools, AAC, movement breaks, special interests, narration, non-judgmental stance, curiosity, and respect.
Favorite Pastimes: board games, card games, video games, game shows, authentic friends, being silly, being creative, nature (especially trees and greenery), and music.
Specialties: Neurodivergent identities (Autistic, ADHD, Gifted, PDA, 2E, non-speaking) and the sensory, social, communication, executive functioning, regulation, and movement differences that accompany those identities. Trauma, for ages 0-5, through a Child Parent Psychotherapy lens.
