About My Clients
work with children, teens, and young adults who feel misunderstood, overwhelmed, or exhausted from trying to keep up. Many of my clients are autistic, ADHD, or questioning, and often come in after years of masking, anxiety, or feeling like they “should be doing better.” I also support parents seeking clarity and guidance for their child. Together, we focus on understanding neurodivergence, building emotional regulation skills, reducing burnout, and creating supports that actually fit real life.
My Background and Approach
’m a licensed clinical psychologist with over a decade of experience working with children, teens, and young adults, and I’m the founder of Forest Psychological Clinic in the Portland metro area. I specialize in comprehensive autism and ADHD assessments and have conducted thousands of evaluations, allowing me to identify nuanced neurodevelopmental profiles that are often missed or misunderstood. My one-day evaluation model helps clients and families get clear, actionable answers without prolonged uncertainty or long wait times. In therapy, I take a neuroaffirming, strengths-based approach that prioritizes understanding over fixing. I work with clients navigating anxiety, emotional regulation, executive functioning challenges, identity development, and burnout related to masking. My goal is to help clients feel accurately understood, supported, and empowered with tools and insights that make daily life more manageable and sustainable.
My Personal Beliefs and Interests
believe that neurodivergence is a natural and valuable part of human diversity, not something that needs to be fixed or erased. Much of my work is grounded in helping individuals and families unlearn shame and move toward understanding, self-compassion, and practical support. I’m deeply committed to neuroaffirming care, especially for people whose needs have been overlooked because they appear “high functioning” on the surface. I also believe that access to clear, accurate information changes lives. Outside of clinical work, I create educational content on YouTube focused on autism, ADHD, emotional regulation, and neurodivergent burnout, with the goal of helping people feel less alone and more informed (DrThatcherPsychTalks). Whether through therapy, assessment, or education, my values center on respect, transparency, and meeting people where they are.