IN-PERSON COUNSELLING IN VANCOUVER & ONLINE ACROSS BC
Neurodivergent Counselling
Life can be so much more than what you can’t do
You can’t take anymore stress or overwhelm, but life doesn’t seem to stop.
You’re pulling another all nigher, trying to focus and not be distracted by the work piled next to you. No one else in your life sees this, and you’ve learned to hide it with too much caffeine. At times you wish those around you didn’t only see your accomplishments, instead your struggles to get there. You don’t know how long you can keep going like this.
On other days its the inner critic taking up all the airspace in your head, the conversations still spiralling in your head long after they’ve played out. You keep wondering if you did anything that came off as rude or too intense. All you know is that you’ve put so much effort into those small moments to force yourself to be likeable. Yet you’re still overthink each interaction, even though it makes you feel worse. All you want is to get through a single conversation without overthinking, but even finding help feels overwhelming.
Being neurodivergent in a world made for neurotypical norms can leave you feeling like an alien — constantly misunderstood, confused, and out of place. Maybe you…
constantly feel irritated or dysregulated by stimuli and find it hard or impossible to accomplish what you want
feel your emotions deeply or not at all, resulting with you being chronic over- or under-stimulated
are always hyperfixated on not being “weird” around others and end up exhausted
feel overwhelmed by everything you need to do, and wonder why it’s so hard to stay motivated and organized
I can help you understand more about yourself and create strategies that work the best for you. We can talk about everything that affects you: stress, social situations, stimming, sexuality, or your history and family expectations — no topic is too big, too small, or off limits.
What Neurodivergent Counselling makes possible…
find ease in your everyday
Get to know your sensory triggers and find tangible ways to deal with overstimulation, for more calm in your life. Create systems of organization that works with your brain, not against it.
process shame & trauma
Create a sense of safety in your body and build emotional regulation skills. Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy honours the protective strategies you have relied on. Let’s move forward together, through exploring ways of freer existence and self-expression, at your own pace.
create a sense of belonging
Find connection and a sense of belonging by nurturing your relationships in ways sustainable to you. Get more comfortable with expressing your needs and resolve conflicts when they happen. Grow in self-confidence and self-acceptance, knowing you don’t need to conform to traditional definitions of success.
cultivate compassion and confidence
Practice asserting your needs and adapt your environment, not changing yourself. Improve your tolerance for situations without compromising who you are, and feel less stress in social situations and relationships.
Neurodivergent counselling is never about changing you, it’s about empowering you.
I won’t ask you to be less autistic, or less ADHD. You’ve had to spend your life pretending to be someone you’re not. It’s time for you to know who you are for a change. There’s no right way to be a person, and you deserve to move forward in life with your most authentic self.
let’s create a life where you’ll thrive as you are.
frequently asked questions
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Neurodivergent or neurodivergence refers to a spectrum of “different” functioning compared to the considered norm or “neurotypical.” Neurodivergent differences include how a person processes any forms of information, and affects learning and thinking. ADHD and autism are included but not exclusive neurodivergent conditions, others included are: learning disabilities, concussions and other medical conditions, and trauma.
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Being unsure about your experience is common. Getting an official diagnosis can be a difficult process, and while there is a lot of information available, getting access to personally relevant information can also be difficult. Counselling can help you gain a better sense of understanding of your experiences, to help you make more informed decision of whether to adopt a label or pursue an official diagnosis.
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No. I work with both self-identified and “officially” diagnosed neurodivergent adults. Self-identification is valid, and we can explore your experiences and needs regardless of how you have come to understand yourself. Questioning whether you might be neurodivergent is also a valid starting point.
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Both ADHD and autism can be unrecognized for many years, and this is especially true for women and other marginalized folks. Diagnostic criteria as listed in the DSM can be biased against certain presentations of ADHD and autism. Many adults can struggle with attention, organization, and impulsivity for many years before realizing their symptoms were misunderstood or overlooked as a child. Getting a diagnosis later on in life usually brings a mixture of emotions, but open up a world of new understandings.
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Depending on your child’s age and level of cognitive and emotional maturity, counselling might look different. Younger children benefit more from caretaker counselling, and older children benefit more from individual sessions.
Schedule a free consultation with me so I can learn how to best support you.
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Schedule a free and confidential 20 minute consultation with me. We can discuss the type of help you are looking for, and see if we’ll be a good fit going forward.
A consultation isn’t a commitment, it’s a chance for you to ask me questions and to get a sense if I’m the right person for you. My goal is to give you clarity, relief, and the confidence that change is possible.
Your sessions are personalized, and you can choose to work on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, whichever feels the best for you.
Counselling With Wren
Specialized counselling services for anxiety & depression, neurodivergence, and trauma, available in-person in Vancouver and online across BC.
As an uninvited guest on stolen, ancestral territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), I commit myself to the continued work of assessing and responding to the ongoing impact of colonization.