FAQs

…what is therapy anyway?

After being a therapist for 13+ years, I feel like I can sort-of start to answer that question. Therapy is so unique to each person and situation, like conversations or art.

Therapy is a dedicated place to prioritize getting a better handle on your life, goals and direction with a second set of eyes (mine!) to help. I work from an existential lens — none of us chose to be here, but now that we are, it’s our responsibility to make meaning out of the time we have. In that truth there is a great deal of power and inspiration — and somehow, at the exact same time, a heap of fear, uncertainty, anxiety and profound grief. Therapy with me is a lot of wading through this, stepping into our power and responsibility to proclaim our voice as our own, and also acclimating to the importance of vulnerability and authenticity even when its gritty.

…how often do we meet? and how long does therapy go?

At the beginning of treatment I try to meet every week as a way to get our traction going and build rapport. As things get more settled and things feel like they’re in a good spot, lots of folks go down to every other week as is clinically appropriate with what their needs are. Some clinicians do short term solution focused therapy, but the type I do is more long-term, relationally driven and builds over time. Each client is different so the question of how long treatment goes can vary widely. I have some folks I met with for three months to navigate a bumpy season with their divorce, and others I have been seeing ongoing for 9 years without plans to end.

…do you prescribe meds?

Nope —that would be a job for your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist/psychiatric nurse practitioner. If you don’t have one yet and we find out that you would benefit from medication, we can work together to find a good person for the job that is near you or available via telehealth like I am.

…Why does it matter to have a diagnosis of Autism or adhd when you’re not a kid in school? does it make any difference?

Yes!! Autistic & ADHD folks have specific (and often very individualized) care needs. When those needs go unmet, we increase risks of more severe mental health issues. This can sadly have serious impacts on the quality of life for people living with these conditions undiagnosed & untreated. Suicide rates are much higher in autistic people without intellectual disabilities; addiction rates are higher in autism & in ADHD, rates of self-injury are higher, and a very high number of autistic & ADHD people have disordered eating patterns.

This is a serious problem that deserves the full attention of all mental health professionals. I feel strongly that the diagnosis and confirmation of suspected Autism and ADHD saves people’s lives by properly guiding their care.

…If I do want a diagnosis, Autism and ADHD can only actually be diagnosed by a Psychologist though, right?

Nope! Autism and ADHD are most commonly diagnosed by psychologists, but they can also be diagnosed by masters level clinicians with proper training. 

In the state of Massachusetts, Masters-Level clinicians (like me, an LMHC) undergo intensive graduate level education, testing, thousands of hours of face-to-face client time, hundreds of hours of supervision and post-graduate training to earn and maintain our licenses as mental health providers. Under our license, we are legally allowed to provide “assessment, diagnosis and treatment, counseling and psychotherapy, of a nonmedical nature of mental and emotional disorders”. For therapists to confidently and ethically work within our scope of practice, we need to keep up with trainings on things that may be complex and specialized (like diagnosing ADHD and Autism!).  As long as a licensed masters-level clinician has sufficient experience and training, they are legally and ethically within their scope of practice diagnosing these conditions. 

…What is the difference between a diagnostic assessment with a therapist like you and a neuropsychological assessment with a psychologist? 

A formal neuropsychological assessment is used to create a snapshot of one’s intellectual, emotional, social and behavioral functioning. They are also are used to diagnose conditions including ADHD and autism. Neuropsychs are done by a psychologist (PhD/PsyD), and includes tools like intelligence tests and rigorous scored measures for a wide variety of mental health presentations. When pursuing autism or ADHD diagnosis for things like social security disability or other forensic & government uses, neuropsychological testing with a psychologist is usually a requirement. 

A diagnostic assessment with someone like me is beneficial as a confirmation of self-identification and can usually be used for accommodations at work or school (I always suggest you double check what they require for your unique needs).  As neuropsychological testing can be very very expensive, hard to find and often requires long wait times, diagnostic assessments with a therapist like me are a powerful and more accessible tool to bridge the gap between self-identification and full-blown neuropsychological testing.

…What are your qualifications to conduct these diagnostic assessments?

I am trained in the MIGDAS-2, the Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition. This is a narrative test that utilizes an interview format to get a full picture of a client’s experience.  I have also have undergone training through Neuropebble with Jamie Roberts, LMFT, an AuDHD therapist who specializes in psychosocial assessments for ADHD & autism.

Also, non-clinical qualifications — I am an autistic ADHD’er, diagnosed in mid-life after decades of anxiety, specific phobias, social inconsistencies and unexplained physical health anomalies. I am also a mom of three ND kiddos, married to a late diagnosed autistic partner. 

…but Why is everyone Autistic now?

It’s not more autism, its autism that has always been here. With more effective screening tools and more awareness (and less stigma, thankfully) more people are coming forward and pursuing self-understanding at higher rates. Dr. Megan Anna Neff has a good post about this here.

Also, a study that came out around the end of 2025 found that approximately 90% of Autistic people over the age of 40 in the UK are not diagnosed. So there will likely be a TON of people coming out of the woodwork in the near future. Dr. Megan Anna Neff also has an incredible podcast/video about this issue, which she refers to as “The Lost Generation of Autistics".

…Wait. I don’t think I even know what Autism actually is?

I think this is true for a lot of people.  

Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that leads to differences with sensory processing and socialization/communication, repetitive and restricted behaviors and highly focused interests. It can sometimes happen alongside intellectual disability or learning disability, but it can also occur in folks with average or high performing intellectual capacity. It exists on a spectrum that is widely varied and deeply individual to each person.

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network has a more thorough breakdown here, & Nick Walker, PhD. has a powerful essay about this here.

If any of your questions were not answered, email me — I’m happy to talk!
mallory@moonflowertherapy.com