Relational and flexible therapy for people whose bodies and brains have been dismissed, disbelieved, or misunderstood
Chronic illness and neurodivergent-affirming
Online therapy in CA
LET’S BE HONEST:
It can be so hard living in a mind and body that’s unpredictable.
When you go to bed at night, you wonder how you are going to feel the next morning.
Will you wake up and immediately start bargaining with your body?
Will you have to choose between your health and your responsibilities—again?
Will you intend to start your morning routine and somehow end up doing everything except that?
Will you have to translate yourself again—your needs, your reactions, your way of being—into something more “acceptable?”
You wake up and still try. You push through, put on your mask, and hold it together…even when getting dressed feels like too much, when your brain won't load, or when you've already spent everything you had just getting out of bed. The shame creeps in before the day has even started. Why is this so hard? Why can't I just function? Everyone else seems to move through their days so much easier.
You've been told your labs are normal. You've tried therapy or brain retraining programs and felt worse. You've always felt like you were wired differently, or like something has been missed, and you've never quite gotten an explanation that fit. You're only now starting to realize you can't keep pushing through.
That's what I'm here for.
Maybe you…
Are feeling overwhelmed trying to navigate a healthcare system that’s designed to make you feel like giving up.
You know there is something physically wrong, but doctors continue to dismiss you, gaslight you, or tell you to just eat healthier, lose weight, or exercise. You feel hopeless and overwhelmed. You wait months for an appointment only for the doctor to spend 10-minutes telling you there’s nothing wrong or they can’t help you.
Have always wondered why everything feels so much harder for you than everyone else
Your brain loops on things you can't let go of. You go from fine to completely overwhelmed with no warning. You've never quite felt like you belonged anywhere, or like the world was speaking a language everyone else learned and you somehow missed that week at school. From the outside, you look fine…but on the inside, you are exhausted, ashamed, and convinced something is wrong with you.
Have spent your life putting everyone else’s needs above your own.
You are highly attuned to the emotions of others. When you notice someone’s mood shifts, you try to fix it, even if it may not be your fault. You stuff down your own feelings and do anything you can to avoid conflict. You frequently are worried about what others think of you and are afraid of judgment, rejection, or abandonment. You do everything you can to make others happy and cared for but realize no one is taking care of you.
Hello! I’m Allyson.
It’s hard being a human. You don’t have to go at this alone.
You need someone in your corner. Someone who is going to help you take care of you. Someone who is going to remind you that you are enough and you deserve respect, consideration, and love. I believe that the relationship you and I develop in our virtual space is more important than any therapy technique or modality.
I am a white, cisgender, queer, fat, neurodivergent, chronically ill, and dynamically disabled woman. I have lived experience of an eating disorder as well as other mental health struggles. I am COVID-conscious. These identities and lived experiences, along with my values, deeply inform my work (along with Internal Family Systems and Attachment Theory).
I’m a Health At Every Size, and anti-diet clinician. I am also sex-positive and poly, ENM, and kink-affirming. I am passionate about destigmatizing mental health, holding space for individuals with suicidal thoughts, disability justice, fat liberation, celebrating big and small wins, and celebrating queerness.
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Process the trauma you've experienced from the healthcare system and learn how to work with the body you have.
Learn More ⟶
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Offer a space to witness your grief and explore what life can look like after a big change or loss.
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Learn tools to navigate ruptures and challenges in a relationship. Learn how to set boundaries and take care of yourself. Explore your relationship patterns and gain a better understanding of your attachment style(s). Process trauma, if applicable. Better understand why you engage in the behaviors you do or why you stay in relationships that are unhealthy or no longer serve you. Find meaningful connection with others who value you.
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Anxiety
Depression
Burnout
Borderline Personality Disorder
Eating Disorders/Disordered Eating
Nonmonogamy, Polyamory, BDSM, and Kink
Perfectionism
Suicidal Ideation
Self-Harm
Body image
PTSD and C-PTSD
Here’s how I can help:
Let’s make therapy simple.
1
Reach out
Review my website to see if we’d be a good fit. You can directly schedule a consultation call via my contact page. Or you can use my contact form, email me, or shoot me a text. We’ll have a free, 20-minute video or phone consultation to see if I can meet your therapeutic needs.
2
Get to work
If you decide to move forward, we’ll schedule our first 50 or 75-minute appointment and decide on how often you’d like to meet. I am flexible on how often we meet, how long we meet, and what sessions can look like. We’ll decide together.
3
Experience change
While I won’t be able to get rid of your chronic illness or grief, I will be there to walk alongside you and help you navigate a new normal. I’ll help you feel less alone and overwhelmed. We’ll talk about the systems of oppression and help you find community, joy, and a sense of agency. Everyone’s journey will look different, and I’ll be here for all of it.
Ready to get started?