Many autistic women in California and Tennessee have experienced multiple forms of trauma connected to being chronically misunderstood or misattuned to by the environments around them.

Repeated invalidation, bullying, social exclusion, or being punished for sensory reactions can accumulate over time. Experiences that may not appear dramatic from the outside can still create profound stress for a nervous system that was already working hard to navigate overwhelming environments.

In my work with autistic women across California and Tennessee, therapy often involves understanding how trauma and autism interact—particularly when years of masking and misunderstanding have shaped someone’s sense of safety, trust, and self-perception.