Affiliated Providers
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Johanna Banks, MSW, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker (she/her) *ND
I have a special passion for individuals with special needs and have dedicated my career to work with individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Born with Cerebral Palsy I know what it’s like to struggle daily however it has given me the strength to to show my families to never give up and continue to push through the challenging days. I offer a variety of services that include: consultation, parent education, individual sessions, parent support groups, and a monthly Dinner Club for young adults 18 and older.
Advanced Therapist with Children, Teens and Young Adults
Intermediate Group Therapist
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Renee Birch, LCMHC, NC Licensed School Counselor, ASD Clinical Specialist, ADHD-PT (she/her)
After 20 years of being a school counselor, I decided to focus my clinical work in the private practice setting. I work with clients from middle school to adulthood providing individual and group counseling. I also work with parents to provide support in their parenting journey. My passion for working with neurodivergent clients stems from my experience with neurodivergent family members and the students I worked with in the school setting.
Adult, Young Adult, Teen, Family
Intermediate Counseling Evaluator & Therapist
Email—Website
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Devon A. Brunson, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIS, Speech-Language Pathologist (she/her)
Devon is the owner of Cognition, Speech & Language, an independent provider of speech, language, and cognitive telehealth services. CSL provides neurodivergent-affirming consultations, evaluations, and individual sessions to those who present with differences in areas such as: Comprehension, Verbal or Written Expression, Social Communication, Attention, Memory, Reasoning, Planning, and Organizing tasks. CSL strives to create safe, welcoming, and empowering spaces where you can thrive! She helps you discover or enhance your strengths so that you may function at your greatest level of independence.
Intermediate Therapist with Teens and Adults
Intermediate SLP Evaluator
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Leia Charnin, Ph. D., Licensed Psychologist (she/her)
Dr. Charnin’s work is dedicated to nurturing strengths of others. Her work is committed to understanding how a person makes sense of the world, particularly by honoring lived experiences of identity and neurodivergence. Dr. Charnin specializes in applying trauma-informed therapy to adolescents and adults while supporting the family system. She serves clients from various identity backgrounds, genders, sexual orientation, and belief systems. She has experience working with a range of issues, including anxiety, neurodivergence and personality disorders. Dr. Charnin is licensed to practice telepsychology in 40+ states via the Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) under the PSYPACT Commission.
Intermediate Therapist with Adults, Young Adults & Teens
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Heaven Clark, MS, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist (she/her)
Heaven has enjoyed working with neurodivergent individuals in various avenues throughout her life, including volunteer and employment opportunities during her time at both UNC-Chapel Hill and FAMU. She is a licensed occupational therapist who takes special interest in the community aspects of OT, and continues to learn from neurodivergent and differently-abled populations. Heaven currently provides evaluation and consultation services at Autistic Adult and Teen Consulting of Charlotte. She brings a holistic approach to helping clients increase their levels of independence and overall life-satisfaction with strategies for self-regulation, executive functioning, independent living skills, and self-advocacy.
Advanced Therapist with Teens and Adults
Advanced OT Evaluator
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Amy Dombrosky, LCMHC, Counselor (she/her) *ND
Amy is passionate about providing a safe, authentic, and caring environment for neurodiverse clients to explore and grow. She believes it is important to meet clients where they are and, at the same time, to assist them in expanding their comfort zone to achieve their goals. Together, she works with clients to increase emotional health and resiliency by expanding adaptive coping skills, restoring healthy thought patterns, and regulating distressing symptoms. Amy celebrates neurodivergence and incorporates each individual’s strengthsPT and resources into her treatment approach. Amy serves clients through individual therapy, family therapy, and social skills groups.
Advanced Therapist with Adults, Young Adults, Teens, and Families
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Rachel Durban, OTR/L, MSOT, CAS, Occupational Therapist (she/her)
Believing in the connection of life participation to overall well-being, Rachel decided to complete an MS in Occupational Therapy following her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology. As an OT, she has worked primarily in the schools and home health.
Recognizing that the focus of treatment was largely on the pediatric autistic population, Rachel worked to apply her expertise as an OT towards the largely unmet needs of autistic adults and teens. This passion led her to start her practice, Autistic Adult & Teen Consulting, in which she enjoys sharing her love and knowledge of the sensory systems (including interoception!) self-regulation, executive functioning, and emerging autism research and supports.
Advanced Therapist with Teens and Adults
Advanced OT Evaluator
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Glori Gray, Psy.D., MSW, Licensed Psychologist (she/her) *ND
Dr. Gray has over 25 years of experience with autistic adults and children. She provides comprehensive evaluations because she loves exploring strengths of others, especially those with different frames of reference. She evaluates various forms of neurodivergence, including autism, ADHD, learning differences as well as the often overlapping complexities of social-emotional needs. With a strengths-based and therapeutic approach to assessment, Dr. Gray provides families with integrated and thorough reports. She fosters the development of self-compassion and shared understanding. Dr. Gray is licensed to practice telepsychology in 40+ states via the Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) under the PSYPACT Commission.
Advanced Therapist with Children and Teens
Advanced Psychological Evaluator with Children, Teens, and Adults
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Jillianne Grayson, MD, Psychiatrist (she/her) *ND
Dr. Jillianne Grayson provides psychiatric care including medication management, therapy and groups to children, adolescents, and young adults. She has an integrative approach to psychiatric care. She celebrates neurodiversity and affirms identities. According to Dr. Grayson, her first outpatient during fellowship was a teen who was autistic. “Working with her to understand her unique challenges and fostering her strengths was something I found very fulfilling. Being a neurodivergent affirming provider means that I view being neurodivergence as a positive characteristic.” Dr. Grayson says, “I am grateful for the people who share a small part of their lives with me. It is deeply rewarding to get to see the world from a perspective that is different from my own.”
Advanced Provider of Medication with Children and Teens
Intermediate Therapist with Children and Teens
Intermediate Psychiatric Evaluator with Children and Teens
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Erin Klender, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (she/her) *ND
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Katherine Lewis, OTR/L, Occupational Doctorate, Occupational Therapist (she/her)
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Rachel Milbourn, MSW, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker (she/her)
Rachel specializes in working with neurodiverse adolescents and adults. She offers expertise in providing individualized treatment plans that empower individuals to develop strong, healthy relationships and reach their full potential. Rachel is a former educator and has 25 years of experience working with youth and families. She has diverse clinical experience starting with Division TEACCH at UNC, as a teacher and therapist in the psychiatric residential milieu, and as an in-home family therapist. She was trained in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics by the Child Trauma Academy. Rachel also provides professional consulting services in the areas of autism, education, and trauma-informed systems of care.
Intermediate Therapist with Children and Teens
Intermediate Social Work Evaluator with Children and Teens
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Angelica Robles, MD, Developmental Pediatrician (she/her)
Dr. Robles provides developmental assessments, medication management, and individualized recommendations to help children, teens, and young adults thrive. She uses a comprehensive approach, and believes in open communication and collaboration with fellow professionals. Dr. Robles is the Co-Founder of Coralis Health, a venture aimed at delivering top-notch care and resources for neurodivergent and disabled individuals. She is excited to build this service within the Charlotte community and remains dedicated to ongoing learning so she can offer neuroaffirming care in her everyday practice.
Advanced Provider of Medication with Children and Teens
Intermediate Psychiatric Evaluator with Children and Teens
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Sarah Smead, EdS, NCSP, Psychologist (she/her)
Sarah has 14 years of experience as a school psychologist within schools as well as an autism specialist and psychologist with TEACCH. She has experience with supporting neurodivergent individuals across the lifespan, but has specialized in supporting pre-teen, adolescent, and adult clients. She is adept at answering complex diagnostic questions, and helping her clients fully understand the root cause of their concerns. Her mission is to celebrate neurodiversity and individual strengths to help clients and their families gain insights and develop supportive next steps. She specializes in supporting independence at every age and is passionate about helping individuals to maximize their independence and reach their personal goals.
Intermediate Therapist with Children, Teens, and Adults
Advanced Psychological Evaluator with Children, Teens, and Adults
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Dan O'Sullivan, MA, LCMHCA, Mental health counselor (he/him) *ND
I offer individual talk therapy for teens & adults; individual play therapy for children; and dyadic play therapy for children & their parents. I’m grateful to work at a group practice (Bareiter Counseling Center in uptown Charlotte) where I can regularly consult with and learn from wonderful colleagues. From relationships with neurodivergent friends & family members, plus my own experiences as an ADHDer, I know how challenging it can be to navigate neurotypical structures & expectations with a neurodivergent mind & heart. I have a special interest in adapting depth-oriented approaches, such as psychodynamic talk & play therapy, so they can be helpful for all my clients seeking inter- and intra-personal growth—not just those with so-called “typical brains.”
Intermediate Therapist with Teens and Young Adults, Children, and Families
Email — Facebook — Website — PT
Please note that the indication of Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced on a provider’s profile indicates a provider’s self-assessment of their level of specialization and experience as related to neuro-affirming services per our Provider Self-Rating of Competency and Neuro-Affirming Care.
*The abbreviation ND suggests broadly Neurodivergent, which means having a brain that functions in ways that diverge significantly from the dominant societal standards of “normal.” As a note, not everyone who identifies as Neurodivergent may disclose as ND.
A person whose neurocognitive functioning diverges from dominant societal norms in multiple ways – for instance, a person who is Autistic, has dyslexia, and has epilepsy – can be described as multiply neurodivergent. The terms neurodivergent and neurodivergence were coined by Kassiane Asasumasu, a multiply neurodivergent neurodiversity activist.
“My natural traits, Autistic social skills, and communication style are different — and that’s ok.”