Compassionate, Neuroaffirming Therapy by a Neurodivergent Therapist
Therapist in Lafayette, CA. Providing ADHD Counseling, Autism Affirming Counseling, and Neuroaffirming Therapy.
My name is Chelsie Crilly (they/them/theirs), and I'm glad you're here looking for support.
I'm a neurodivergent queer therapist and I run a neuroaffirming therapy practice in the Bay Area.
I provide specialty therapy for ADHD, OCD, High Sensitivity, High Intensity, and Autism. I work with children, teens and adults.
My doors are open to all neurotypes (meaning, you don't have to be neurodivergent to work with me).
I offer both Telehealth and in-person services in Lafayette, CA.
I treat anxiety, depression, and complex trauma. I provide support to people who are experiencing life transitions, loneliness, and overwhelm.
I am passionate about providing gender-affirming care, queer-affirming therapy, and support for gender expansive youth.
If you're curious about my approach or have any questions, please feel free to email me. I'd be happy to provide a free 15 minuet consultation and get to know you!
Chelsie's Approach in Therapy
We can put an extraordinary amount of pressure on ourselves to overcome adversity
Many of my clients come to therapy feeling “broken” and want their “flaws” to go away. What if your greatest challenges are also our greatest strengths?
Our ability to experience the depths of sadness is also our ability to dive deep into relationships. Our acute awareness of injustice and passion for equality can also be our anger. Our feelings of isolation can be a signal that we haven’t found our people yet– and yet sometimes we try to quiet our inherent wisdom.
My job is to help you learn to listen to your own needs, create healthy ways of responding to those needs, and express your emotions in a way that honors your values. Through neuroaffirming therapy we can find ways for you to live more comfortably in your body.
Narrative, Strengths-Based Therapy
As a queer, neurodivergent therapist I am committed to building a safe space to explore what your inherent wisdom is.
What are your values? What are the parts of your identity you’re comfortable with– and what are the parts of your identity you are learning to be comfortable with? What beliefs are serving you? Together we can answer these questions through neuroaffirming therapy, whether that’s online or at my Lafayette office.
Chelsie Crilly, LMFT: Your Partner in Mental Health
Anxiety Therapy
If you're struggling with anxiety, I'm here to help. I specialize in strengths-based therapy and can help you learn practical coping strategies to manage your symptoms as a neurodivergent person. I'll work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that meets your unique needs. You’re not alone if you’re experiencing anxiety. Anxiety is a common experience for people who identify as AuDHD (Autistic and ADHD).
Depression Therapy
Depression can make it difficult to enjoy life and engage in activities you once loved. Depressive episodes are common amongst neurodivergent folks due to chronic stress, difficulties with executive functioning (meeting deadlines at school and work, short-term memory, ect), and internalized narratives of shame (“why can’t I do this? I’m worthless”, ect.). As a therapist, I am here to help you create more supportive narratives, create better behaviors that support your mental health, and meet you where you are on your journey. I use relational, strengths-based therapy, and an eclectic approach to help people live to see the light.
Healing Neurodivergent Burnout
Many of my clients seek therapy because of neurodivergent burnout. Neurodivergent burnout is when we've been chronically overstimulated, we've pushed past our emotional boundaries, and found ourselves unable to engage in our lives. By exploring what sustainability means to you, identifying triggers, and taking an inventory of our coping skills, we can find your equilibrium again.
Decreasing Perfectionism
For many neurodivergent folks there can be a sense of needing things “just right” or “all-or-nothing“ thinking that can lead to an incredible amount of stress and anxiety. My therapeutic approach focuses on examining our relationship with perfectionism and creating more compassionate expectations for ourselves.
Trauma Counseling
If you've experienced trauma, it's important to seek help from a qualified therapist. I'm trained to help you work through the trauma and develop healthy coping strategies. I help my clients with a variety of techniques including mindfulness, somatic grounding, and principles of DBT curated to neurodivergent needs.
Stress Management
Stress is a natural part of life, but when it becomes overwhelming, it can have a negative impact on our mental and physical health. Together we can learn practical strategies to manage stress and improve your overall well-being.
Relationship Counseling
Relationships are an important part of our lives, but they can also be challenging. Let's learn together how to improve your communication, build insight, and strengthen your relationships, whether that's through individual therapy, couples counseling, or family therapy. My approach to Neuroaffirming Therapy emphasizes creating relationships that honor your values, create meaningful connections, and decreasing loneliness.
Expressive Arts Counseling
I have a Master’s in Counseling with an emphasis in Expressive Arts Therapy from California Institute of Integral Studies. Expressive Arts is rooted in the belief that we are all artists and heal through the creative process. I am particularly interested in visual arts, writing, and music, but I am happy to integrate my clients creativity in therapy whenever possible. In my experience, art works really well with neuroaffirming therapy
