In our work with neurodivergent clients — autistic individuals, people with ADHD, and many who carry both — masking is a word that isn't framed as an initial presenting problem or discussed at the start of treatment. Many clients arrive at their first appointment with little to no knowledge of the term, and in many cases, this is also true for the subject of neurodiversity. But over time, as we work to understand certain experiences, the impact of day-to-day stressors, and how people respond...

What exactly are microaggressions? How do they affect us? Is it worth addressing them when they occur? And perhaps, most importantly, how can we reduce their impact and cope effectively when we encounter them? Microaggressions are brief, seemingly insignificant verbal, behavioral, or environmental slights or insults directed at members of marginalized groups and communities that are hostile, disparaging, or negative. These marginalized groups may include women, members of the LGBTQ+...

Trauma often reveals itself not through memory, but through relationships. It shows up in the unspoken tension before a difficult conversation, in the sudden impulse to withdraw when closeness deepens, and in the way conflict feels overwhelming rather than manageable. Many people do not initially recognize these experiences as trauma responses. Instead, they wonder why connection feels so difficult, why they feel too much or too little, or why relationships seem to carry a weight that feels...