Neurodivergent-affirming therapy

Your brain isn't broken. So let's stop trying to fix it.

Real, evidence-based therapy for ADHD, autism, and trauma — minus the cold clinical distance and the pressure to act more "normal" than you are.

TelehealthMichigan & California
Free 15-minNo-strings consult
In-networkBlue Cross Blue Shield
Emily Dolsen, PhD
A quick gut-check

Wait… is this just me?

If a few of these land a little too hard, you're in good company. (Spoiler: it isn't just you.)

You've deep-cleaned the entire house to avoid making one short phone call.

A task takes either five minutes or five hours, and you cannot predict which.

People assume you've got it all together. Only you know what it costs.

You can hyperfocus for nine hours straight, then can't start a two-line email for nine days.

Bright lights, scratchy tags, and loud restaurants feel like personal attacks.

You hold it together and seem "fine" all day, then get home with absolutely nothing left in the tank.

None of this means you're broken. It might just mean your brain runs a different operating system — and that's something we can absolutely work with. Let's talk.

About

Hi, I'm Emily. I help neurodivergent adults stop white-knuckling their way through life.

I'm a licensed clinical psychologist who works with ADHD, autism, and trauma. A lot of therapy quietly asks neurodivergent people to hide how their minds work, mold themselves, and act more like everyone else. That's never made much sense to me — you can't build a good life out of impersonating someone you're not. So instead, we work with the brain you've actually got.

Sessions are warm, a little informal, and paced for an actual human nervous system. Sensory stuff, executive-function chaos, and the special tiredness of navigating a world built for other people are all on the table. And you'll have far less explaining to do than usual — I know it from the inside.

Specialties

A few things I'm genuinely good at

I go deep in a handful of areas instead of dabbling in everything — so you get someone who actually gets it, not someone Googling between sessions.

01

ADHD

It was never really about focus. We get into executive function, emotional regulation, rejection sensitivity, and unlearning the "you're so smart, if only you applied yourself" shame you've been carrying since the third grade.

  • Executive-function strategies
  • Rejection-sensitive dysphoria
  • Late or adult diagnosis
02

Autism

Affirming support for autistic adults — unmasking, sensory needs, burnout, and finally understanding yourself. Zero goal of making you "seem less autistic."

  • Autistic burnout & recovery
  • Unmasking & identity
  • Sensory & communication needs
03

Trauma

Paced, careful trauma work that respects your nervous system instead of bulldozing it. We don't rush. Includes the slow-drip relational and developmental trauma that tends to come with growing up neurodivergent.

  • EMDR & somatic processing
  • Developmental & complex trauma
  • Nervous-system regulation
04

ADHD & Autism assessments

Thorough, affirming evaluations for adults who've spent years going "wait… doesn't that bother everyone?" Real answers, in plain language — plus the paperwork that unlocks accommodations and support.

  • Adult ADHD evaluation
  • Adult autism evaluation
  • Written report & recommendations
You don't need fixing. You need a therapist who actually gets how your brain works.
My approach

What "affirming" actually means here

A few things I won't budge on — and, just as telling, a few you'll never get from me.

01

Your brain is not a deficit

We toss the "broken and behind" framing in the bin where it belongs. Different is just different. We figure out what actually helps the brain you have.

02

Accommodation over assimilation

The goal isn't to get better at hiding how your mind works, or at seeming like everyone else. It's to build a life — and a toolkit — that fits the person actually living it.

03

You set the pace

Sessions bend to your energy, sensory load, and whatever capacity you've got that day. Fidget, pace, take all the processing time you need.

04

Evidence, minus the worksheet energy

Grounded in the actual research — CBT, EMDR, ACT, somatic work — but shaped around you, never handed to you like homework you forgot was due.

…and what it isn't

Not a place where you'll be handed a worksheet and a knowing nod.

Not "have you tried a planner?" — I will never, ever say this to you.

Not therapy that treats your diagnosis as a character flaw to manage.

Not a quick fix, a life hack, or a productivity system in a trench coat.

Not 50 minutes of you performing "normal" for my benefit.

Not stiff or clinical — no watching your words, no being on your best behavior.

An honest fit check

Are we a good match?

I'd rather be upfront than book everyone. Here's where I shine — and where someone else might serve you better.

We'll probably click if…

  • You're a neurodivergent adult who's done with one-size-fits-all therapy.
  • You want someone affirming — not someone quietly trying to fix you.
  • You want a therapist with actual opinions — not just a slow nod and "and how does that make you feel?"
  • You're navigating ADHD, autism, trauma, or some combination of all three.
  • You're located in Michigan or California (blame telehealth licensing rules, not me).
  • You appreciate a little humor about genuinely hard things.

I might not be your person if…

  • You're looking for couples, family, or child therapy.
  • You're looking for someone to prescribe or manage medication — I'm a psychologist, not a psychiatrist (but I'm glad to work alongside your prescriber).
  • You're in active crisis and need urgent or higher-level care.
  • You want to be told you're "just like everyone else."
  • You're currently outside Michigan or California.

Either way, you won't hit a dead end. If I'm not the right fit, I'll point you toward someone who is.

Getting started

What actually happens

No couch, no clipboard, no ambush. Here's the whole arc, start to finish.

1

You reach out

Fill out the form or grab a consult slot. Takes about two minutes and zero commitment.

2

The free 15 minutes

We talk and feel out whether we click. You get to interview me right back. Zero obligation, zero pressure.

3

Your first real session

No script, no pop quiz, no pressure to fill every silence. I help steer, you share what you want at your own pace, and we can sit in the quiet whenever you need to. Camera on or off, entirely your call.

4

We find our rhythm

Weekly or every other week. Over time we build the understanding and tools that genuinely fit how you're wired.

Fees & insurance

The money part, no mystery

Money's stressful enough without surprises. Here's exactly what things cost, upfront.

Intro consultation
Free / 15 min

A low-key video or phone call to see if we click. Ask me anything — yes, even the awkward questions.

Individual session
$250 / 50 min

Weekly or every-other-week telehealth, built around your goals and your bandwidth.

Sliding scale
A few spots

I hold a handful of reduced-fee spots for people who need them. No essay required — just ask.

Insurance: I'm in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, so plenty of clients just pay a copay. On another plan? I'm out-of-network and hand you a tidy monthly superbill to submit for possible reimbursement. Assessments are priced individually — we'll sort out all of it on the free consult.

FAQ

Stuff people actually ask

Anything I didn't cover? Hit me with it on the free consult.

Where do you practice?
Entirely online. I'm licensed in Michigan and California, so you'll need to be in one of those states for our sessions. We meet over a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform — couch, blanket, and emotional support snack all permitted.
Do you take insurance?
I'm in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, so if you're a BCBS member you'll usually just owe a copay. On any other plan I'm out-of-network — payment's due at the session, and I'll give you a detailed monthly superbill to send your insurer for possible reimbursement. We'll untangle your benefits together.
Do I need a formal diagnosis first?
Nope. Loads of clients show up self-identified, questioning, or freshly diagnosed as adults. You don't need a piece of paper to deserve support. And if you do want clarity, I can help you figure out whether a formal assessment is worth it for you.
Will you give me homework?
Only the kind that actually helps — and you're never in trouble for skipping it. No gold stars, no detention, no passive-aggressive check-ins about whether you did the thing.
Can I really keep my camera off?
Please do, if that's easier — honestly, it'd be a relief to keep mine off too. Talking to a friendly black rectangle is a completely valid form of therapy, and it saves you the exhausting work of managing your face for an hour.
Do you work with late-diagnosed adults?
Constantly — it's a huge part of what I do. Plenty of clients pieced it together at 30, 40, or 50 and are now re-reading their entire lives in a new light. You'd be in very good company.
How do we get started?
Drop a note in the form below or grab a free 15-minute consult. We'll talk about what's going on, you can size me up just as much as I'm getting to know you, and then we decide together whether to book a first real session. No pressure, no hard sell.
Get in touch

Reaching out is the worst part. I made it as painless as I could.

Leave a note below or grab a free 15-minute consult. A real human (me) reads every message and replies within two business days — no chatbot, no phone tree.

Emailhello@emilydolsenphd.com
Reply timeWithin 2 business days
HoursMon–Thu, by appointment

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Thanks for reaching out. That was the hard part. I'll get back to you within two business days.