Online Therapy in Austin, TX for ADHD, Autism & Complex Trauma
Neurodivergent-affirming online therapy for adults exploring late-diagnosed ADHD or autism, complex trauma, grief, and complicated family relationships.
Have you ever felt like you're living your life according to a set of rules that everyone else seems to understand but nobody ever explained to you? Maybe you've spent years questioning why you experience things differently, why relationships can feel so complicated, or why your needs don't always seem to fit what others expect.
I'm Dr. Christine Henry, a Houston-based psychologist offering online therapy to adults in Austin and throughout Texas. I particularly enjoy working with adults who are discovering they're ADHD or autistic later in life, including those who are self-identified or still questioning.
My approach is relational, neurodivergent-affirming, and focused on understanding how your experiences, relationships, and environment have shaped the way you see yourself. Therapy isn't about teaching you to be more like everyone else. It's about figuring out what works for you, processing experiences that may have left you feeling misunderstood, and making room for the person you actually are.
My work is informed by feminism, anti-racism, social justice, and LGBTQ+ affirming care. I recognize that our identities and experiences don't exist in isolation from the families, communities, and systems around us. I welcome adults of diverse backgrounds, identities, abilities, and beliefs, and want therapy to be a place where you can explore your experiences without feeling pressured to hide parts of yourself.
My Therapy Focus Areas for Austin Adults
Sometimes people come to therapy without a clear explanation for what they're experiencing. They may have spent years being told they're too sensitive, overthinking everything, or making things harder than they need to be. Others have tried therapy before but felt that something important about how they experience the world wasn't fully understood.
I particularly enjoy working with adults who are exploring ADHD or autism later in life, whether they've recently received a diagnosis, have identified through their own research, or are still trying to figure things out. For many, this discovery opens up questions about identity, relationships, masking, and experiences that may have been misunderstood for years.
My work also includes complex trauma, grief, religious trauma, highly sensitive people, and complicated family relationships. These experiences can overlap with neurodivergence, and I believe it's important to understand how they interact rather than treating each concern in isolation.
When You've Spent Years Trying to Understand Yourself
Maybe you've spent years trying to figure out why you experience the world differently. You've read books, listened to podcasts, tried different strategies, or even spent years in therapy. Some of it may have helped, but you still feel like there's a piece missing.
For many adults, discovering ADHD or autism later in life brings a new understanding of experiences they previously attributed to anxiety, depression, perfectionism, or simply being too sensitive. Things that once seemed unrelated may begin to connect, including sensory sensitivities, difficulties with executive functioning, emotional overwhelm, and challenges in relationships.
For some adults, these questions become more pressing during perimenopause or menopause. Hormonal changes, disrupted sleep, and brain fog can make longstanding challenges with attention, emotional regulation, or executive functioning harder to manage. You might find yourself wondering why the strategies you've relied on for years suddenly aren't working as well, leading you to explore whether ADHD or autism has been part of your experience all along.
You might also begin questioning some of the messages you've internalized over the years. Were you really lazy, overly emotional, or difficult? Or were you trying to navigate environments and expectations that didn't account for how your brain works?
Sometimes recognizing your neurodivergence brings relief and excitement. Other times, it brings grief, anger, or uncertainty about what to do with this new understanding. You may find yourself looking back on childhood experiences, past relationships, or previous therapy with a different perspective.
In our work together, there's room for all of that. We can explore what this discovery means for your identity, how it changes your understanding of the past, and what you want your life to look like moving forward. You don't have to rush into embracing a new identity or have all the answers before beginning therapy.
Therapy That Makes Room for How Your Brain Works
Therapy should be flexible enough to account for how you think, communicate, process emotions, and experience relationships. Strategies that seem helpful on paper don't always translate into everyday life, particularly when they weren't developed with neurodivergent needs in mind.
My approach is relational, neurodivergent-affirming, and informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), interpersonal and psychodynamic perspectives. I'm interested in understanding not just the challenges you're experiencing today, but also how your relationships, past experiences, and the environments you've lived in have shaped the way you see yourself.
Sometimes that means exploring the impact of masking, processing complex trauma, or questioning beliefs you've carried about yourself for years. We might also explore complicated family relationships, including the impact of emotionally immature parents, longstanding family conflict, or family estrangement. Other times, our work may focus on recognizing sensory needs, navigating executive functioning challenges, setting boundaries, or finding ways to reduce overwhelm.
I also recognize that traditional expectations about therapy don't always work well for neurodivergent people. You don't have to maintain constant eye contact, sit perfectly still, or communicate your thoughts in a particular way. We can adapt how we work together based on what helps you feel comfortable and engaged.
Therapy is collaborative. I'll offer observations, ask questions, and help you consider different perspectives, but I'm not here to tell you who you should be or how your life should look. We'll figure out what works for you together.
Online Therapy in Austin That Fits Your Life
Finding a therapist who understands late-identified ADHD or autism, complex trauma, and the ways these experiences overlap can be challenging. Online therapy allows you to choose a therapist based on their approach and experience rather than how close their office is to your home.
Whether you're in South Austin, Hyde Park, Mueller, East Austin, or nearby communities like Round Rock, Cedar Park, or Pflugerville, you can meet with me from a private space where you feel comfortable.
For neurodivergent adults, being in your own environment can make a meaningful difference. You have more control over lighting, noise, temperature, and other sensory experiences. You can sit in your favorite chair, wrap yourself in a blanket, use a fidget, or move around when you need to.
We'll meet face-to-face through secure video sessions, much like we would in a traditional therapy office. You'll need a private place where you can talk openly, but there's no expectation that your surroundings need to look perfect.
And, of course, your pets are welcome! Whether your dog settles in beside you or your cat decides to join the conversation, they're welcome to be part of your therapy experience.
I provide online therapy to adults throughout Austin and across Texas, so you don't have to be located in a particular neighborhood to work with me.
My Personal Connection to Austin
Although Houston is home, I've enjoyed visiting Austin over the years. Some of my favorite memories involve exploring the University of Texas campus, watching thousands of bats emerge from beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset, and visiting the Austin Zoo, a rescue zoo and animal sanctuary.
One particularly memorable visit to the zoo involved my son learning the hard way why you shouldn't stick your fingers into a parrot's cage! Given my love of animals, it's probably not surprising that some of my most memorable Austin experiences involve wildlife rather than the city's famous live music scene.
I've always appreciated Austin's quirky personality and its reputation for embracing individuality. As a psychologist who works with adults exploring their identities and discovering ADHD or autism later in life, I appreciate the idea that people don't have to fit into conventional expectations to belong.
Today, I provide online therapy to adults throughout Austin and the surrounding communities, bringing my neurodivergent-affirming approach to clients across Texas.
Getting Started With Online Therapy in Austin
Whether you've recently discovered you're ADHD or autistic, have been questioning it for years, or are looking for a therapist who understands how neurodivergence, trauma, and relationships can overlap, I'd be glad to explore whether working together might be a good fit.
I offer individual online therapy for adults ages 26 and older in Austin and throughout Texas. My practice is private pay, and I can provide superbills if you'd like to seek possible out-of-network reimbursement.
I offer a free 20-minute video consultation where we can talk about what you're looking for, answer your questions, and get a sense of whether we'd work well together.
You don't need a formal ADHD or autism diagnosis to begin therapy, and you don't have to have everything figured out before reaching out.
Online Therapy in Austin, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Texas - as well as several other cities and states. See if I work with clients in your area: therapy locations.