Pathways to Practice

with Melissa Hoon, LCSW

You care deeply about your neurodiverse clients.

Let me help you reach them.

If you're working with neurodiverse clients, you already know — this work asks something different of you.

Whether you're supporting someone on the autism spectrum, working with a client with ADHD, or navigating a neurodiverse presentation alongside trauma, anxiety, or other mental health concerns, there are moments when you leave a session wondering if you're truly reaching them.

I've been there too. And after 30 years of doing this work, I've built something I wish I'd had earlier in my career.

That's what Pathways to Practice is.

Why Specialized Consultation Matters

Neurodiverse individuals — including autistic people and those with ADHD, sensory processing differences, and related presentations — experience the world in ways that standard therapeutic approaches weren't built for. What works beautifully with neurotypical clients can fall flat, feel inaccessible, or even create unintended harm when applied without thoughtful adaptation. I've seen it, and I've learned from it.

What I've also seen is how much clinicians care. The therapists who seek out consultation aren't struggling because they're not trying hard enough — they're struggling because graduate training rarely goes deep enough into neurodiversity-affirming practice and working with clients on the spectrum is never a one-size-fits-all approach.. The gap between wanting to help and knowing how is real, and it can feel isolating when you're navigating it alone.

You don't have to navigate it alone. That's exactly what I'm here for.

The Pathways to Practice Framework

My four-phase consultation model for clinicians working with neurodiverse clients

Each consultation session follows a structured yet flexible four-phase approach — designed to move you from uncertainty to clarity, and from good intentions to effective action.

Phase 1: Getting Oriented

We start by getting to know each other and diving into what's on your mind. You're welcome to bring up to 2–3 clients depending on their level of need and complexity. Where are you feeling uncertain? What's not landing? What do you wish you understood better?

This is a judgment-free space — I want to hear what's really going on so we can figure out together what will actually help.

Phase 2: Exploring Strategies

Once I understand where you are feeling stuck, I'll share targeted strategies drawn from 30 years of working with neurodiverse individuals. Depending on what your clients need, this might include approaches rooted in EMDR, EFT, Brainspotting, mindfulness-based therapy, and neurodiversity-affirming frameworks.

Everything I offer is filtered through deep respect for each client's unique profile — because what works for one neurodiverse person may not work for another.

Phase 3: Building Tools Together

This is my favorite part. Together, we'll review existing visuals you're already using or create plans for new ones from scratch — customized to each client's language, interests, and therapeutic goals. I believe the best therapeutic tools live in the client's own world: their interests, their words, what already lights them up.

Great tools don't come from a generic playbook. They come from knowing your client — and that's exactly what we'll build from.

Phase 4: Leaving with a Plan

Every session ends with something concrete and actionable. You'll leave with ready-to-use visuals, specific action steps, new tools, and/or a clear roadmap for next steps.

My goal is that you walk out of every session feeling more confident, more creative, and more connected to the clients you're working so hard to reach.

Neurodiverse individuals don't need to be fixed. They need to be met. Let's talk about how.

Is This Right For You?

Pathways to Practice is for any mental health professional who wants to show up more fully for their neurodiverse clients. You may be a great fit if you are:

  • A therapist newer to working with neurodiverse clients who wants grounded, practical guidance from someone who has been doing this work for decades

  • An experienced therapist who feels uncertain with a particular client or presentation and wants a fresh perspective and new tools

  • A supervisor or clinical director looking to strengthen your team's capacity to serve neurodiverse populations with confidence and creativity

  • A clinician of any background or modality who wants to work more effectively, more creatively, and more affirmingly with neurodiverse individuals

If you've ever left a session wishing you had better tools, clearer strategies, or a stronger sense of how to truly reach your client — I'd love to work with you.

Let’s Work Together

Ask yourself: how much time have you spent this week wondering how to better reach a neurodiverse client? One hour together can change that.

  • Your Investment: $100 per session

  • Format: Virtual or in person

  • Session Length: 1 hour

  • Clients per Session: Up to 2–3, depending on complexity

Your neurodiverse clients are worth it. So are you.

I’d love to hear from you. Reach out via email today and let's get started.

Email Melissa

“To understand the neurodivergent mind is not to fix it, but to learn its language, honor its rhythm, and discover the strength in difference.

"This is where that journey begins.”

— RONEN DANCZIGER