Deborah Skalabrin, MSW, LICSW
If you feel anxious and misunderstood around people, you deserve less conflict and more connection.
Are you ready to reshape interactions with others to fit you better? Maybe with lower stress, more (or different) friends or partners, a stable social battery, positive interactions at work or school, and the confidence of feeling appreciated for being yourself?
When we lose jobs, friends or partners we wanted -- or find interactions difficult to attempt or sustain -- life can get stressful and lonely fast. Maybe it's hard to tame your anxiety around people. Or you have a social goal but want help with steps and support. Maybe you've been called rude or selfish when you were just trying to get along and feel understood. Supercharging your mutual communication powers can help you handle any interaction well, without feeling trampled or hiding who you are.
What you've tried; what hasn't worked.
Maybe you've tried to imitate the way neurotypicals seem to act, but ended up feeling exhausted or inauthentic.
Or you researched a "right way" to approach a social problem, only to struggle when circumstances, settings, or people vary.
Maybe you've retreated or pushed back when people hurt or overwhelmed you, but now feel stuck, lonely, angry or misunderstood.
Let's create more social success!
This therapy is for you, if you're a verbal Autistic adult or young adult ready to take action toward more authenticity, self-acceptance, interconnectedness, and effectiveness.
We can't control other people, so together we'll focus on practical steps for you -- to reduce conflict, break free of ruts, respect yourself and others, and self-advocate in ways that attract more cooperation, understanding, and support.
For example, we could explore how to:
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Reduce stress caused by nervous system triggering, sensory discomfort, anxiety, or shutdown, so your body gets a rest and you have more energy to connect.
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Break free from negative beliefs and patterns that feed interpersonal conflict or school/work struggles.
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Foster successful social connections by mastering mutuality, honoring many ways of being, toggling your "energy bandwidth", and attracting more support.
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Strengthen healthy boundaries to reduce frustration and limit damage from toxic people or expectations.
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Navigate a majority-neurotypical world -- not for masking or forced conformity -- but to understand others' motivations, practices, and assumptions before you make your own choices, with hopefully more predictable results.
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Grow appreciation for your strengths and perspectives through being your true self, developing your gifts, practicing self-compassion, and choosing beliefs that further your confidence and healing.