Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT) for Neurodivergent Women in Portland & Washington
Understanding Your Mind Through a Different Lens
If you're a late-diagnosed or self-identified autistic woman who's spent decades masking, you've probably tried traditional therapy approaches that felt like forcing square pegs into round holes. Maybe you've sat through sessions where therapists insisted your perfectly logical concerns were "irrational" or pushed you to confront fears that weren't actually fears at all—just reasonable responses to a world that wasn't built for your neurotype.
I get it. As a neurodivergent therapist and anxious mom, I've been there too. That's why I offer Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT)—an evidence-based approach that actually makes sense for how autistic brains process information and navigate uncertainty.
How I-CBT Works with Your Neurodivergent Brain
Traditional CBT often assumes that anxiety comes from overestimating danger or catastrophizing about real situations. But what if your brain works differently? What if your concerns stem from the complex web of possibilities your pattern-seeking mind naturally generates? That's where I-CBT shines.
Instead of challenging whether your thoughts are "realistic" (a concept that often feels invalidating when you've spent your life accurately perceiving social dynamics others miss), I-CBT focuses on understanding the inference chain—the creative storytelling process that leads from trigger to distress.
Here's what this looks like in practice: Rather than dismissing your concern that colleagues might be discussing your communication style, we explore the inferential process. What story is your brain creating? How did you arrive at this narrative? This approach respects your intelligence and pattern recognition abilities while helping you distinguish between possibility-based narratives and probability-based reasoning.
For autistic women who've been praised for being detail-oriented perfectionists, this method honors your analytical strengths. We're not trying to convince you that your observations are wrong—we're exploring whether the stories you're building from those observations are serving you.
The Intersection of I-CBT and Autistic Identity Development
After that "Oh, I'm autistic—now what?" moment, many women find themselves untangling decades of masking, people-pleasing, and achievement at the cost of authenticity. I-CBT becomes a powerful tool in this identity integration process.
Through our work together, we'll explore how inferential confusion might be maintaining masks you're ready to shed. Perhaps you've inferred that showing your authentic self will lead to rejection, based on early experiences before you understood your neurotype. Or maybe you're stuck in loops about what others "must" be thinking, exhausting yourself with social calculations that no longer serve you.
I use I-CBT to help you differentiate between protective strategies that once kept you safe and inferential patterns that now keep you stuck. This is especially relevant for those of you whose autism recognition came through your child's diagnosis—suddenly seeing your own experiences reflected and wondering what else might be inference versus reality.
Why I-CBT Excels with OCD and Autistic Thinking Patterns
Many autistic adults, particularly women, experience OCD or OCD-like patterns that traditional exposure therapy doesn't quite address. When your brain naturally seeks patterns and craves predictability, distinguishing between autistic traits and OCD symptoms requires nuance that I-CBT provides.
Unlike traditional Exposure and Response Prevention (though I offer that too when appropriate), I-CBT doesn't require you to face feared situations head-on. Instead, we work with the reasoning process itself. For someone whose nervous system is already overwhelmed from decades of masking, this gentler approach can be transformative.
We'll explore how your inferences develop, understanding the difference between your autistic need for routine and structure versus OCD-driven compulsions. This distinction matters immensely when you're trying to honor your neurotype while addressing genuine distress.
Trauma-Informed I-CBT for Late-Diagnosed Women
Living undiagnosed as an autistic person in a neurotypical world is inherently traumatic. Add to that the specific challenges faced by AFAB individuals, queer and trans folks, and those navigating parenthood while neurodivergent, and we're talking about complex, layered experiences that require sophisticated therapeutic approaches.
I integrate I-CBT with trauma-informed care, recognizing that many of your inferential patterns developed as survival strategies. That hypervigilance about social cues? The constant analysis of whether you're "doing it right"? These aren't just anxiety—they're learned protective mechanisms from years of not understanding why the world felt so difficult.
Through our work, we'll gently examine these patterns while honoring their protective intent. This is particularly important for those professional women who've succeeded in demanding fields through sheer force of masking—your inference patterns helped you survive and even thrive, and we'll respect that while exploring what you need now.
What Our I-CBT Sessions Actually Look Like
When we meet for our online sessions, you can expect a collaborative, intellectually engaging process that respects your expertise about your own mind. After our initial consultation and intake process, where we'll thoroughly explore your history and establish your therapy goals, our I-CBT work unfolds naturally.
Sessions might involve mapping out inference chains together—literally drawing out how a triggering situation leads to a particular narrative. We'll explore your "doubt stories" with curiosity rather than judgment, understanding how your pattern-seeking brain constructs meaning from ambiguous situations.
For my clients balancing work and family while trying to unmask, we might explore inferences about what "good enough" means in various roles. For those navigating perimenopause alongside autism discovery, we'll tease apart which challenges stem from hormonal changes, which from autistic traits, and which from inferential confusion about both.
I bring both professional expertise and personal understanding to this work. Having my doctorate means I'm deeply versed in the research and clinical applications of I-CBT. Being neurodivergent myself means I genuinely understand the exhaustion of masking, the relief of recognition, and the complexity of integration.
Is I-CBT Right for Your Journey?
I-CBT tends to resonate strongly with autistic adults who are analytical, introspective, and ready to explore their thinking patterns with curiosity. If you're someone who appreciates understanding the "why" behind therapeutic techniques, who values having your intelligence respected, and who's tired of being told your logical concerns are "irrational," this approach might feel like coming home.
This therapy particularly suits those navigating the intersection of multiple identities—autistic, LGBTQ+, parent, female—where inferential confusion can compound. When you're already managing the cognitive load of existing in spaces not designed for you, having a therapeutic approach that works with your natural thinking style rather than against it can be revolutionary.
Taking the Next Step
If you're ready to explore how I-CBT can support your journey of integration and authentic living, I invite you to reach out. Whether you're in Portland, elsewhere in Oregon, or anywhere in Washington State, my online practice is designed to be accessible and accommodating to neurodivergent needs.
During our free 15-minute consultation, we can discuss whether I-CBT aligns with your current needs and goals. You'll have the chance to ask questions, get a feel for my approach, and determine if we're a good therapeutic fit.
For information about scheduling and pricing, please contact me directly. I'm here to support you in moving from survival mode to intentional, authentic living—using therapeutic approaches that actually make sense for how your beautiful, complex brain works.
Your journey from masking to authenticity, from confusion to clarity, from inference to insight—it's valid, it's important, and you don't have to navigate it alone. I-CBT offers a path that honors both your analytical strengths and your need for genuine understanding. Let's explore what's possible when therapy finally speaks your language.