Autism Spectrum Support in Silver Spring, MD
Thoughtful, respectful therapy for autistic adolescents and adults, including those with co-occurring ADHD, from a clinician with six years of focused experience supporting clients on the spectrum.
What Is Autism Spectrum Support?
Autism spectrum support is psychotherapy designed for autistic adolescents and adults, especially those with co-occurring autism and ADHD. Rather than treating autism itself as the problem to be fixed, this work focuses on the challenges autistic clients often face — anxiety, overstimulation, social exhaustion, difficulty navigating school or work environments, and the wear-and-tear of masking in spaces not designed for neurodivergent brains. Every treatment plan is built in collaboration with the client, at the client’s pace.
Our Approach
Briana approaches autism spectrum work with curiosity, respect, and flexibility. There is no one way to be autistic, and there is no one way therapy should look. Some clients benefit most from concrete strategies for managing sensory load and social demands. Others benefit from exploring and overcoming past experiences of being misunderstood, or the grief that can accompany a later-in-life diagnosis. Still others come primarily for anxiety, depression, or ADHD support — with the autism piece simply factored in.
For clients whose autism overlaps with ADHD, treatment is designed to address the whole neurodivergent profile rather than treating the two in isolation. For adolescents, parent involvement is offered when clinically appropriate to build family understanding and support.
What We Provide
- Therapy for autistic adolescents and adults
- Support for co-occurring autism and ADHD presentations
- Help building self-understanding and self-advocacy skills
- Strategies for managing sensory load and emotional overstimulation
- Navigating school, college, workplace, and relationship dynamics
- Support for late or newly diagnosed adults
- Treatment of anxiety and depression as they appear in autistic clients
- Parent involvement in adolescent treatment, when clinically appropriate
- Coordination with neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, and other providers
Who Benefits from Autism Spectrum Support?
This work is designed for autistic adolescents and adults — whether they received their diagnosis in childhood, are newly diagnosed, or are still exploring whether autism is part of the picture. It is especially valuable for clients whose autism co-occurs with ADHD, anxiety, or depression, and for patients who have had previous therapy experiences that did not quite fit. Briana treats clients ages 13 and up — both adolescents and adults alike.