Support that celebrates neurodiversity

Therapy for autism

What autism can feel like

You or your child may find social situations confusing, overwhelming, or draining. Sensory experiences such as noise, light, or texture can feel intense. Change may be difficult, and it can feel discouraging when others don’t understand your perspective.

Our approach to supporting you

Therapy is neuroaffirming, trauma-informed, and paced to meet each person’s comfort level. We adapt communication, sensory environment, and strategies to fit individual needs.

How therapy helps

  • A gray circle with the number one inside.

    Provide affirming support that values strengths and differences

  • A stylized number two with a circular design.

    Build social, emotional, and self-regulation skills

  • Number 3 enclosed in a circle

    Collaborate with families, schools, or workplaces for better support

  • Number 4 inside a blue circle

    Foster belonging, self-advocacy, and confidence

The goal is to create understanding and systems that work for you, not to change who you are.

How autism-affirming therapy can support you or your child

Our neurodiversity-affirming approach focuses on emotional well-being, sensory understanding, communication, and daily functioning without trying to change identity or mask traits. The goal is to help autistic children, teens, and adults feel understood, supported, and empowered.

Therapy can also support parents and caregivers in understanding their child’s needs and creating environments that feel validating, steady, and aligned with their strengths.

    • Understanding and navigating anxiety, overwhelm, or shutdowns

    • Coping with burnout from masking or chronic stress

    • Developing emotional regulation strategies

    • Expressing and understanding feelings in safe, clear ways

    • Building self-esteem and self-trust

    • Recognizing sensory sensitivities and patterns

    • Identifying triggers and building coping strategies

    • Creating supportive routines and environments

    • Reducing sensory overload where possible

    • Understanding communication differences

    • Navigating social expectations or misunderstandings

    • Building confidence in relationships

    • Clarifying needs, boundaries, and preferences

    • Support with transitions and change

    • Building structure and predictability

    • Strategies for planning, organization, and everyday tasks

    • Reducing stress around routines and responsibilities

Autism-affirming support in Scarborough

Our Scarborough clinic offers a warm, calm environment where autistic children, teens, and adults and their families can feel understood and supported. Many people appreciate having an in-person space where sensory needs, communication differences, and pacing are genuinely respected.


Whether you’re in Scarborough or a nearby neighbourhood, our approach centres on thoughtful, affirming care grounded in evidence-informed practices.

Group of four diverse people sitting at a table outside a cafe, engaging in conversation. One person is holding a smartphone, and a wine glass is on the table.

Online autism-affirming therapy across Ontario and Nova Scotia

We also provide virtual sessions for people across Ontario and Nova Scotia. Meeting online can be especially helpful if you or your child benefit from:

  • A consistent sensory environment

  • Flexibility with busy schedules

  • Reduced burnout or overstimulation

  • Fewer transportation or accessibility barriers

Online care offers the same individualized, neurodiversity-affirming support as our in-person sessions just from the comfort of home.

Who we support

Children

Therapy helps children develop emotional and sensory awareness, understand their experiences, and build coping strategies that feel natural and empowering. Sessions are tailored to their development, strengths, and communication style.

Teens

Adolescence can bring a lot of new pressures, ranging from academic, social, emotional, to sensory ones. Therapy supports teens in navigating identity, self-understanding, emotional overwhelm, and the increasing demands of school and relationships.

Adults

Many autistic adults are navigating stress, burnout, masking fatigue, relationship challenges, or years of feeling misunderstood. Therapy provides space to unlearn harmful narratives, explore identity, and build strategies that honour their needs.

Parents and families

Families often benefit from support to understand autism more fully, build communication strategies, and create environments that reduce stress and increase connection.

Fees & insurance

Therapy sessions start at $180/hour. Most extended health plans cover services provided by registered psychologists or social workers.

Why individuals and families seek support for autism-related needs

Support from an autism-informed therapist may be helpful when:

  • Sensory experiences feel overwhelming

  • Emotional regulation feels difficult or unpredictable

  • Social interactions feel draining, confusing, or hard to navigate

  • You or your child experience burnout, shutdowns, or frequent exhaustion

  • Transitions or changes create stress

  • Masking leads to fatigue or feeling disconnected from yourself

  • There’s a desire for deeper self-understanding

  • You want strategies that support confidence and day-to-day well-being

  • You’re looking for therapy that respects neurodivergent identity and communication

Many clients share that having a space where their experiences are understood feels grounding, clarifying, and deeply affirming.

Frequently asked questions
about autism-affirming therapy

What does therapy for autistic individuals focus on?

Therapy often supports emotional regulation, sensory understanding, communication, stress reduction, burnout recovery, and self-acceptance. The goal is never to change identity or mask traits. It’s about helping people feel more supported in daily life.

Is this the same as behavioural therapy?

No. Our work is not behavioural or ABA-based. At Thrive, we provide psychological therapy centred on mental health, emotional well-being, coping strategies, and understanding your lived experience.

How can therapy support autistic children?

Therapy can help children build emotional regulation skills, navigate sensory challenges, understand their feelings, communicate needs, and feel more confident in who they are.

Can teens and adults benefit too?

Yes. Many teens and adults come to therapy for support with anxiety, burnout, identity exploration, masking fatigue, relationship patterns, or big life transitions.

What’s the difference between this and an autism assessment?

An autism assessment explores whether diagnostic criteria are met. Therapy focuses on emotional support, coping tools, and daily functioning. Many people begin therapy with or without a formal diagnosis.

How do I know if therapy might help my child?

If your child experiences sensory overwhelm, emotional regulation challenges, social fatigue, difficulty with transitions, or struggles with self-esteem, therapy can offer support and understanding.

Is online support effective?

Yes. Many people find virtual sessions grounding and more accessible. We offer online therapy across Ontario and Nova Scotia.

Do you offer support for parents too?

Yes. Parents often appreciate guidance around understanding sensory needs, strengthening communication, and creating calmer routines at home.

Do you also offer autism assessments?

We do. If you’re looking for clarity about your or your child’s experiences, we offer comprehensive autism assessments. These assessments help clarify communication patterns, sensory needs, strengths, and areas where support may be helpful.

Do I need a diagnosis to begin?

No. Many people reach out before, during, or entirely separate from an assessment. Therapy is based on your lived experience.

Reach out for autism-affirming therapy whenever you’re ready

If you or your child are seeking support that honours neurodivergence with compassion and respect, we are here to help.

Book a free consultation with us