(he/him)
I’m Essy, an LCSW/LICSW, PsyD candidate, and author who works primarily with neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ adults navigating identity, trauma, burnout, masking, and the pressure to overperform in environments that were never designed with them in mind. My approach is relational, trauma-informed, and strongly neuroaffirming. I blend warmth, honesty, insight, and practical support to help clients better understand themselves and build lives that feel more sustainable and authentic.
Our first session is about getting to know you, not performing or having all the “right” answers. You do not need to arrive with a perfectly organized story or clear explanation for everything you’re feeling. We’ll explore what’s bringing you in, what’s been feeling difficult or emotionally heavy, and what you hope might shift through therapy. I aim to create a grounded, collaborative environment where you can speak openly without fear of judgment or pressure to move faster than you’re ready for. Early sessions often involve identifying patterns, stressors, relationship dynamics, identity experiences, or survival strategies that may no longer be serving you. I tend to ask thoughtful questions, offer reflections and reframes, and help connect dots in ways that feel relevant to your actual life rather than overly clinical or detached. Therapy with me is active and relational, with room for insight, practical support, curiosity, humor, and emotional processing at your pace.
Clients often describe me as warm, insightful, direct, and deeply human in the room. One of my greatest strengths is balancing emotional attunement with honesty and practical support. I’m engaged and collaborative in sessions, offering reflections, psychoeducation, practical strategies, and deeper pattern recognition while still meeting clients where they are emotionally. My work blends evidence-based approaches with real-world relevance, helping clients make sense of how trauma, masking, shame, identity, burnout, relationships, or chronic invalidation may still be shaping their lives in the present. I pay close attention to both emotional experience and the broader systems or environments clients are navigating. As a neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ therapist, I also bring lived experience into the work, which often helps clients feel safer discussing experiences they’ve struggled to explain elsewhere. In addition to clinical work, I’m the author of books on neurodivergence and neuroaffirming mental health, including Unscramble Your Brain and The Neuroaffirming Therapy Guide.
I’m here for neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ folks who are tired of having to explain themselves, manage other people’s discomfort, or “tone it down.” My clients are often deep thinkers, high feelers, and meaning-makers who’ve been pathologized, dismissed, or misunderstood. Many are carrying the weight of complex trauma, identity struggles, executive dysfunction, or people-pleasing burnout. If you’re craving a space where you don’t have to mask, where your sharp insights and contradictions are welcomed—not pathologized—I’ve got you. Please note: I do not provide couples therapy or services for children or adolescents at this time.
Top specialties
ADHD
Autism
LGBTQ
Other specialties
Chronic Illness
Coping Skills
Depression
I identify as
LGBTQ
Man
Person of Color (POC)
White
Adults (18 to 64)
Elders (65 and above)
California
Strength-Based
I draw from my lived experience as an autistic, ADHD, LGBTQ+ therapist to apply a strength-based approach in my practice, focusing on affirming clients' unique identities and empowering them to leverage their strengths for growth and resilience.
5 ratings with written reviews
May 12, 2026
Direct, focused, and extremely informative. Exactly what I needed!
January 7, 2026
After several years of searching for a ADHD/ASD therapist, I finally feel as though I have a provider who is aware and supportive of my needs. His directness is refreshing and his openness to feedback and likes/dislikes makes him stand out. I like his speed of talking, which is faster than most therapists. It keeps me engaged and "with" where we are.
October 13, 2025
I had a great first session with Essy. He allowed me to speak and ramble and helped provide insight and solutions. I’m excited to continue and develop healthy skills.