Neurodiversity in Middle Age and Older Adults
Growing Wise
In middle age and in our elder years we experience lots of change, in body and mind. Our relationships, careers, and roles in the family and community may shift. Our bodies age, which can bring a different sense of self, and a new relationship with our day to day experience. Women go through menopause. Men’s bodies start to slow down. Our children leave the house. We may be called upon to be the caregiver of an aging parent. Some of us are widowed.
Now Is The Time To Heal And Grow
We believe that true, meaningful connections can be an important part of the healing process, and can help build both confidence and deeper self-awareness. Often people make the decision to begin therapy during a crisis, as a last resort, or because they feel pressured into it. We understand that you want your life, your work, your family and relationships to be your perfect ideal, but this will require some work. It might include taking a journey inward to build upon your strengths, as well as increase your insight, acceptance, and self-understanding.
These are big changes and in our fast-paced, youth-focused, modern world, we don’t necessarily get enough preparation for what we may face in middle and older age. What’s also true is that these changes present us with the opportunity to level up our own ability to relax into the ever changing uncertainty that goes with being human.
Middle aged or older adults who are neurodiverse may have endured years of feeling different without understanding exactly why, which can create confusion, shame, anxiety and self-doubt. We may start off angry, sad or anxious and cope by resisting, masking and avoiding but eventually many of us wonder if there could be a way to unravel the long thread of our neurodiversity, a way to bring ease, joy and increased meaning to our lives.
If this sounds like you, we invite you to step into a therapeutic relationship that will help you explore your authentic self, feel seen and understood. We will support you in building skills for awareness, resilience and self-acceptance, so you can live in compassion and grow wise.
Embracing the Wisewoman
Many neurodiverse women are used to feeling different from others, misunderstood, invisible and compelled to conform to a neurotypical lifestyle. In middle age, transitioning into the menopausal years may feel like one more thing to mask. I would love to support you in embracing your power and wisdom, and continuing to grow your self-compassion as you experience changes that affect the way you perceive your body and mind, your relationships and perhaps your career. Some themes for exploration include shifts in your role at work or as a parent, changes in romantic partnership, becoming a caregiver to an aging parent, honoring changes in the body and most importantly, exploring how to (once and for all) be at ease in the world. I bring open-hearted curiosity to your experience, and it is my hope that together we can explore the ways that your middle years can be your best years yet.
We Offer Support for:
- Widows and Widowers
- Parents of Adult Children
- Caregivers
- Role shifts at home and work
- Coping with Illness
- Coping with Isolation
- Existential Issues
- Grief
- Death and Loss
- Counseling for Menopause
Support for Elders
If you’re an older adult who suspects you’re neurodiverse, you may be laboring under a lifetime of experiences that caused you shame, confusion, frustration and a sense of isolation.
Allow me to accompany you, as you unravel the long thread of your neurodiversity. Through the lens of compassion and with a positive attitude toward neurodivergence, we can explore your differences in a way that highlights your unique talents and makes space for the complex emotions that come with living in a world that has not always supported you or suited you well. With a reverence for elders, I bring open-hearted curiosity and provide a safe space for you to explore the challenges and gifts of being an older adult— role changes at home and/or at work, illness, slowing down, identity shifts, the experience of the widow(er) and/or caregiver are just a few. It is my hope that working together in a way that honors your neurodiversity will promote healing, self-compassion and ease in your life.