Do you feel that you and your partner to speak different languages? Do you become frustrated with one another because of missed cues, struggles with flexibility, changes in routine, or trouble communicating emotions or aspects of everyday life?
Maybe one of you feels that the other is impatient or doesn’t understand how your mind operates. Do you sometimes feel like your partner just seems not to be attuned to your needs?
The truth is that Naigating any relationship has it’s challenges. In addition, it is not easy to be either the neurodivergent or neurotypical person in a relationship. However, there is hope. I provide a safe, non-judgmental space for both of you to address these issues and more in couple’s therapy.
If you long for a more harmonious, fulling relationship, I can help!
When working with neurodiverse couples, I recognize that it is challenging for both of you. Maybe you have tried previous couples’ therapists, and their methods just didn’t seem to work for you, or maybe even made things worse! The truth is that working with somebody who understands neurodiversity, including ADHD, Autism spectrum, NVLD and the general diversity of the brain can be critical in building understanding, communication, and a positive relationship.
Feeling misunderstood is a common experience for many of the couples I work with. However, while drawing on experience and training with neurodiverse couples, including a certification from the Peter M Friedman Neurodiverse Couples Institute Neurodiverse Couples Institute – The Asperger / Autism Network (AANE), I am able to provide a safe and comfortable environment. I understand some of the challenges with sensory needs, communication, transitions, and changes in routine, and I am still learning more every day from the couples I work with!
I can share and help you master specific techniques that are very impactful in helping you to build communication skills, from recognizing what to do in a meltdown, offering questions to deepen conversations, and generally understanding each other’s point of view.
Through a collaborative approach, I can help empower you both in understanding your needs and wnts and embracing a more romantic, intimate relationship.
I believe, like many other couples I have helped, you will find the right time to have the conversations that matter. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sex Therapy and Sexual Healing and Enrichment for Neurodiverse Couples
Research has shown us that fully 50% of neurodiverse couples have no sexual activity within their intimate relationships. If this is your experience or if your sex life is not living up to your or your partner’s expectations, I can help. As a therapist specializing in neurodiversity, I can help you both discover each other in a new and exciting way, whether you are interesting in healing or enriching your sexual lives.
Sex Therapy and Sexual Healing and Enrichment for Neurodiverse Couples
Many couples, whether neurodiverse or neurotypical, struggle with sexual intimacy. There are two aspects of sex therapy that apply to all couples that we explore and customize to your needs: Healing and enrichment.
Because relationship building and thus sexual intimacy has been delayed for neurodiverse individuals, there can be a lack of understanding how to effectively integrate your and your partner’s needs, desires and wants as a couple. Whether you are seeking enrichment of your already intimate relationship or healing of past wounds and triggers that are affecting beginning or enjoying intimacy, I can help.
Areas of focus that can benefit from sex therapy, specifically tailored to your needs, can encompass:
Communication building: Sexual intimacy for couples can be difficult to navigate, whether neurodiverse or neurotypical. Needs, wants and desires are areas that are often problematic and especially so for neurodiverse couples who may not be as familiar with the nuances of nonverbal communication. Flirting, speech patterns and tone of voice, eye contact and body language are all areas that can easily be misunderstood and misinterpreted.
Communication difficulties don’t only exist though in terms of prior to intimate contact, but during and after, especially in expressing needs and wants. There are triggers that can offend when things don’t go as planned or progress is not as hoped. I help you discover how to clearly communicate in the face of verbal and nonverbal cues.
Sensory differences are a factor for many neurodiverse couples in that one of you may be hypersensitive to sensory input while your partner may be hyposensitive. This is true of neurotypical couples as well of course, but you and your partner may feel it’s effects more intensely due to several factors.
Because of the delay of relationship experience for neurodiverse individuals as mentioned above, the experience with working with and meeting needs and desires in sensory experiences of a partner such as kissing, holding hands, cuddling and intercourse itself, can be fraught with challenges. I help you work at defining your expectations as a couple and work on physical closeness that meets both your needs.
There is true hope in creating the relationship of your dreams, emotionally, psychology and sexually. As an expert in this area and an individual who experiences the various aspects of neurodiversity, I can provide a deep understanding for the challenges you face as a couple and am here to help!