Julie
Anderson

Main Areas of Focus

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Neurodiversity

“I know of nobody who is purely autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had some autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin”

 – Jerry Newport. Your Life is Not a Label

 

Diversity is the one thing we all have in common, and neurodiversity is part of what makes the mosaic of humanity so rich.

 

Our goal is NOT to help the neurodiverse “fit into” the neurotypical world.  While a square peg can probably be forced into a round hole, that might only work by damaging or changing the peg. Instead, we seek to build upon the strengths and strategies that each person brings when creating attachments with those around them.

 

We honor each person’s uniqueness by creating a respectful, nonjudgmental space that will allow a safe place for growth and connection to flourish, both inside and outside the therapeutic experience.

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Parenting Neurodiverse Children

For a moment imagine what it is like for a child to have one adult after another bending down and speaking to them with impatience, frustration, and annoyance in their faces and voices.  Imagine how overwhelming this is for a child who already experiences heightened sensory and emotional sensitivity. 

 

Children with neurodiversity, and especially ADHD often feel they are not good at doing things, or not “good,” and letting their parents down.   Your positive and loving relationship with your child is what matters most.  Feeling safe and understood will help your child build resilience.

 

Bridging the generation gap can be challenging for parents and children whose brains work in similar ways, it can be even more tricky when it feels like you are speaking different languages through the filter of neurodiversity.  Julie works with the family as a team supporting the needs and concerns of parents while honoring each child’s singular experience. 

 

Julie encourages connections through validation and communication, including behavior as a form of communication.

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Neurodiverse Parents

Have you always felt you or your partner saw the world a little differently, but it was only when your child was assessed for neurodiversity that this difference started to come into focus?  For many, their child’s journey is integral in understanding more about difficulties they, themselves, have experienced.

 

Or have you long known that you were parenting through the lens of ADHD, or ASD and now you are seeking more understanding and skills to connect with your neurodiverse or neurotypical children? 

 

With the miraculous addition of a child, your family underwent a metamorphosis.  It can become a challenge to nurture the original union even while partners are trying to pull together during these wonderful transitions.   Life’s demands, including the demands of parenting, can take their toll on how a couple connects physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. 

 

For individuals who differ in their neurodiversity, this difference may require more focused attention to build and maintain connection. Showing up for each other means honoring each partner and family member’s strengths and needs.  In therapy, you will work with Julie to identify goals and patterns of interaction and work collaboratively to create new communication patterns that grow from a place of open-heartedness and connection.

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Co-Parenting

Sharing a parenting relationship is among the most enduring experiences in life. Even after the dissolution of a marriage, connection through children remains. When one co-parent is neurodivergent there may be additional communication and executive function challenges that further complicate this delicate relationship.