Neurodivergent-affirming therapy

for children, teens, & adults

in Tucson, Arizona. 

Hey there, I’m Rachel!
I’m so glad you’re here. ♡

I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor and founder of Olive Branch Counseling in Tucson, Arizona. As an AuDHD therapist, I hope that every person who comes to Olive Branch feels a sense of relief and home and have built a wonderful team of neurodivergent-affirming, funny, kind, and dedicated therapists to give a soft place to land in a world where being different can be so lonely.

We welcome all types of minds, cultures, identities, and needs here so don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you’re on the fence, have any questions, or need additional guidance on your decision. We’re happy to help!

⟡ Our Belief ⟡

At Olive Branch Counseling, we provide evidence-based, neurodivergent-affirming therapy for people who are tired of feeling misunderstood, burnt out, or pressured to fit in.

Our therapists support individuals, parents, and families across the lifespan through a relational, attachment-based approach. Many of us share lived experiences of neurodivergence, and we believe that connection makes a difference.

We show up as our authentic selves — with humor, a little self-disclosure, and the occasional curse word because sometimes it’s necessary.

Therapy shouldn't be another place where you have to mask and understood, and empowered to live a life that feels like yours.

⟡ Our Focus ⟡

We provide —

  • Occupational Therapy

  • Individual & Family Therapy

We work with —

  • Individuals ages 3+

  • Parents

  • Couples

  • Families

  • Parent-child relationships

We tailor therapy to fit your needs.

Common Struggles with Neurodivergence

What Does Neurodivergent Affirming Care Look Like?

Build a life that supports

every part of you.

⤑ Explore executive functioning skills
⤑ Build small, sustainable lifestyle changes
⤑ Refine routines & systems
⤑ Sustainable habits
⤑ Nervous system regulation
⤑ Address sensory needs and differences
⤑ Strengthen social and emotional health

How we can work together.

  • Yellow alarm clock on a knitted mustard-colored blanket and white sheet.

    Work towards sensory integration.

    We explore visual, auditory, tactile, and the general sensory profile and find resources, tools, and strategies to manage each individual’s sensory needs, helping reduce overstimulation and dysregulation.

  • Find sustainable routines and systems.

    We explore systems, routines, and habits for important aspects including organization, time management, deadlines/tasks, eating, sleep, health and general executive functioning challenges.

    We love supporting folks with ADHD/Autism who need creative strategies and have already tried the stereotypical strategies.

  • Hands solving a Megaminx puzzle with colorful geometric shapes.

    An Affirming Approach to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

    Traditional CBT can sometimes feel a little too gas lighty for Autistic folks so we modify this treatment to better support neurodivergence.

    Neuro-affirming care recognizes that the client’s thoughts and feelings often make perfect sense in the context of their lived experience. It focuses more on understanding those thoughts, validating them, and working through them than just simply replacing the thoughts with different ones.

  • Developmentally Focused Care for Children and Teens

    We assess and operate from a developmentally-appropriate lens where we take the emotional age to create goals and objectives that are attainable, realistic, and achievable.

    We value and encourage parental involvement in the therapy process and view parents as a powerful source of knowledge in their children’s behaviors and concerns. Our goal is to equip parents with more skills and tools, strengthening their confidence in responding to and managing challenging emotional or behavioral issues.

  • Child-Centered Play Therapy

    Through Sand Tray, art therapy, sensory-based play, and other creative outlets, we rely on the experiences that get created while engaging in child-led activities. During play, we can capture spontaneous and genuine emotions, thoughts, and reactions, giving us opportunities to navigate these areas and process them.

    Whether in person or telehealth, we have plenty of strategies online and in our offices to effectively engage children in an enjoyable environment where they can learn ways to cope with and express difficult emotions appropriate to their age and development.