Kristin van Vloten

I am a lower-cost Emotionally-Focused For Individuals (EFIT) therapist focused on working with neurodivergent individuals, including those autism, ADHD, and trauma-related neurological differences, who are anxious, depressed, or both. Our goal is to crack the code of what is underneath these chronic states of unhappiness, let you process it, and set up a life free of these burdens.

If you are neurodivergent, do you find yourself struggling with: 

• low moods, like anxiety and/or depression?
• loneliness?
• over-thinking?
• perfectionism?
• low self-esteem?
• feeling chronically misunderstood?
• a hard time staying in the present?
• painful, repetitive patterns in your relationships? 
• the experience of understanding yourself deeply but feeling unable to change? 

As a therapist, I will listen to you in such a way that you learn how to listen to yourself. I believe that healing begins with developing a stronger relationship with yourself—and learning how to care for yourself even when you’re not in therapy. My approach is grounded in research and informed by my own lived experiences, including neurodivergence. I offer Emotionally-Focused Therapy for Individuals that is informed by Somatic, Mindfulness, and Narrative approaches, and I am a Certified Autism Clinical Specialist. While my training and education are essential, my personal experiences of struggle and recovery are what truly guide my work. You deserve acceptance, understanding, and support—with my professional expertise and lived experience, I’m able to offer that to you.

I offer neuro-affirming care, because far too often, individuals with autism, ADHD, and trauma-related neurological differences find therapy irrelevant or even harmful. There are many reasons for this, ranging from outdated perceptions of neurodivergence as “disordered”, to therapeutic norms that create obstacles to growth. For example, if you have a strong need for sensory stimulation, do you feel like you are “allowed” to move freely in session? Or will your attempt to focus more deeply on your thoughts be misunderstood as “being distracted” or “not taking therapy seriously”?

Finally, I am a believer in working through common neurodivergent issues with the attachment science-based Emotionally-Focused Therapy For Individuals. That’s because it can help you to become more resilient by showing you how to understand, process, and communicate your emotions and your needs. For example, research shows that autistic people tend to struggle with intellectualization and alexythemia (i.e., difficulty naming your own emotions); Emotionally-Focused Therapy For Individuals can help with these issues. Furthermore, it is sadly extremely common for people with ADHD and autism to experience trauma in their relationships. Emotionally-Focused Therapy For Individuals can help you repair your sense of being a human being who is valuable others so that you can connect more deeply with the right people.

This what the Emotionally-Focused Therapy process is like:

1. We start with awareness: learning about your history, the patterns in your life, and how your thoughts and emotions play into them.
2. Then we focus on expression: helping you to process the experiences that keep you stuck and in pain.
3. Finally, we aim for transformation: finding practical ways to apply your new skills to your life.