Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy | Fair Lawn, NJ
“Why Does Everything Feel So Much Harder for Me?”
You might find yourself constantly second-guessing how you think, feel, or show up in the world. Maybe you struggle with sensory overload, emotional regulation, burnout, or communication—especially in relationships, parenting, or work. You’ve been told you’re “too much,” “too sensitive,” “not trying hard enough,” or “just need to be more flexible.”
But the truth is: you’re not broken—you’re navigating a world that wasn’t built with your brain in mind. And that’s exhausting.
Whether you’ve known you were neurodivergent for years or are just beginning to wonder if your brain works differently, you deserve therapy that sees the whole you. At Mati Sicherer Mental Health Services, I offer neurodiversity-affirming therapy in Fair Lawn, NJ for adults, teens, and parents who are tired of feeling misunderstood and ready for a gentler, more respectful approach to healing.
You’re Not the Only One Feeling This Way
So many neurodivergent people carry this same invisible weight. You’re not alone if you've spent years trying to “pass,” mask, or manage other people’s expectations. Maybe you’ve felt alienated by noisy classrooms, overstimulating work environments, or emotionally chaotic relationships. Maybe you’ve been punished for being “too intense” or praised for being “so high-functioning” when you were barely hanging on.
Whether you’re exploring a possible ADHD or autism diagnosis, identify as sensory-sensitive, or have always felt like the “odd one out,” your experience is real. Neurodivergent folks often navigate:
Chronic stress or shutdowns from masking
Executive functioning challenges
Emotional dysregulation or sensory overwhelm
Shame or confusion from inconsistent feedback
Difficulty feeling seen in traditional therapy
These challenges aren’t character flaws—they’re signs that your nervous system has been under chronic pressure in environments not designed for your strengths. And that’s why a neurodiversity-affirming approach to therapy can be so transformative.
Therapy That Honors the Way You Think, Feel, and Move Through the World
In neurodiversity-affirming therapy, we don’t try to “fix” you. Instead, we explore who you are with deep curiosity, respect, and compassion. Our work together centers your lived experience—and offers practical, emotionally supportive tools to help you navigate the world in ways that feel more sustainable and authentic.
I use a trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming lens that integrates:
Schema Therapy to understand and shift core beliefs shaped by lifelong invalidation
Relational Therapy to explore how past and current dynamics shape how you relate to others (and yourself)
Somatic Tools to regulate overwhelm, track body cues, and support nervous system healing
Collaborative Pacing so you never feel rushed, overexposed, or asked to perform in session
This is a therapy space where your needs—whether that’s stim-friendly movement, sensory accommodations, silence, or scripting—are respected. You can take off the mask. You can be exactly as you are.
“But What If Therapy Makes Me Feel Worse?”
This is a valid and vulnerable fear—especially if past therapy left you feeling misunderstood, overwhelmed, or even retraumatized.
Maybe you spent sessions pretending to be okay or worried your therapist didn’t “get” your brain. Maybe you’ve been burned by providers who only focused on compliance, behavior, or fitting in. Or maybe you're afraid therapy will just be another place where you're told to "manage better" or "just try harder."
At Mati Sicherer Mental Health Services, therapy doesn’t look like that.
Here, we move at your pace. We co-create safety together. I’ll never push you to engage in a way that feels overwhelming or performative. If something doesn’t feel right, we name it. If you need breaks, scripts, or non-verbal space—we integrate those needs into your care. Therapy isn’t about changing who you are. It’s about building a life that supports who you are.
Your lived experience matters. And therapy should make you feel more human, not less.
What Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy Can Help With
This kind of therapy isn’t just about symptom relief—it’s about building a life you don’t have to recover from. You might benefit from this approach if you’re navigating:
Autism spectrum or self-identification as Autistic
ADHD, executive dysfunction, or difficulty with routines
Sensory processing sensitivity or overload
Burnout, shutdowns, or meltdowns
Internalized ableism and shame
Relationship struggles tied to communication differences
Parenting while neurodivergent—or raising a neurodivergent child
A late diagnosis or exploration of neurodivergent identity
You may be grieving missed diagnoses, reconciling with years of being misunderstood, or learning how to show up differently now that you’re beginning to feel seen.
Therapy is a space where we can hold all of that—and help you move toward something softer and more spacious.
Therapy for Parents and Partners of Neurodivergent Individuals
If you're a parent, caregiver, or partner of someone who is neurodivergent, you may feel unsure how to best support them—or yourself. It’s common to feel overwhelmed, guilt-ridden, or even isolated in your journey.
In therapy, we can:
Explore how neurodivergence impacts your relationship dynamics
Learn tools for co-regulation and communication
Navigate IEPs, school-related stress, or parenting burnout
Process grief, guilt, or expectations about “how things should look”
Build a more inclusive and flexible understanding of what support can mean
You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to be willing to be present, curious, and compassionate—with yourself and the people you love.
You Deserve to Feel Understood—Just As You Are
You’ve spent so long adapting, performing, or surviving that it might be hard to imagine what thriving could feel like. But a more grounded, aligned, and spacious life is possible. You don’t have to stay stuck in patterns of shutdown, burnout, or masking.
You can:
Learn to listen to your needs without shame
Set boundaries that honor your nervous system
Make peace with your differences
Build a life that fits you
If you’re ready to try something different—something more human, more respectful, and more affirming—I’d be honored to walk that path with you.
At Mati Sicherer Mental Health Services in Fair Lawn, NJ, I offer neurodiversity-affirming therapy that sees and supports your full self. If you’re exploring your neurodivergent identity, struggling with overwhelm, or just need a place where you don’t have to explain everything—you’ve found a good place to start.
Schedule your free consultation today. You don’t have to do this alone.