Michala Sheppard Email and Phone Number

I am a M.A. candidate in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Arizona. My goal is to become a counselor who specializes in neurodivergence and trauma. I have a particular interest in helping adults on the autism spectrum reach their goals, especially if they were diagnosed in adulthood. I would like to eventually obtain a PhD in Psychology and contribute to much needed research about autism in adulthood, women/girls on the spectrum, and the different way that neurodivergent individuals process trauma, specifically the differences surrounding what constitutes trauma for those on the spectrum vs. what is considered a qualifying event in the diagnostic guidelines for PTSD. I am also interested in the development of therapeutic techniques tailored to those on the spectrum, especially creativity-based therapies. I would love to eventually create a private practice that also serves as a community center/learning arts center for neurodivergent youth and adults.