Danielle Wayne (she/they)

When I think of anxiety, I think of it as a voice in our head that lies to us. It asks us "what if" something bad happens. It makes us think we aren't good enough, or that we're failing. These thoughts make our body react as though a very real danger is happening. But anxiety doesn't have to be this way. We can work through this to get you to a point where you feel free, actually relaxed, and satisfied.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of my favorite techniques, and it's something I use often, depending on who I am working with. There is a great deal of research behind this being an effective intervention for clients who are struggling with many things, including anxiety, lower self-esteem, and even past traumatic experiences. I have been trained in Beck's approach to CBT as well as Ellis' approach to REBT.

When we feel anxious, we often avoid the things that make us feel anxious. This seems so logical, but really, this doesn't help us. In the long run, when we avoid the things that make us feel anxious, we're actually teaching ourselves that we cannot handle these things. Depending on who I'm working with, I may use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which is considered the gold standard for OCD.

I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, so I understand how ADHD isn't just about "squirrel brain." It's how much you might call yourself lazy or not motivated enough, especially if you feel like other people are doing better than you. Or feel stuck in a loop of focusing and then feeling like you can't get started on something because it's just too big of a task. Or feeling like people don't understand when you try to talk about how ADHD impacts you. These are things we can work on together.

I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, so I understand how ADHD isn't just about "squirrel brain." It's how much you might call yourself lazy or not motivated enough, especially if you feel like other people are doing better than you. Or feel stuck in a loop of focusing and then feeling like you can't get started on something because it's just too big of a task. Or feeling like people don't understand when you try to talk about how ADHD impacts you. These are things we can work on together.

Society often acts like neurodivergent people are just "too much," and there's not a lot of effort to understand autism. When the world doesn't offer to meet you halfway, you pay the costs with things like burnout, perfectionism, or even anxiety. Having a therapist who understands what it means to be neurodivergent means there's a place without these judgments, and you can start learning tools to navigate your world.