Hello and Welcome. I am Dr. T. A. Meridian McDonald, PhD, MS, LPC-MHSP, Counselor and Director of Spectrum For Life Counseling. I am a multiply neurodivergent therapist and published researcher who is passionate about helping all clients, including those with neurodivergent conditions (diagnosed or self-identified), achieve personal growth. As a scientist and educator on neurodivergent conditions for over 20 years, I have helped individuals, families, and community members better understand the value of neurodivergent people and the challenges they face.
My work on co-occurring conditions (mental and physical health) experienced by neurodivergent people compelled me to bring my knowledge and skills from research settings to directly working with individuals in the community. As part of my practice, I support clients in self-empowerment which can take many forms. I tailor my practice to help clients identify and meet challenges, leverage their strengths and develop skills to increase their sense of fulfillment in life.
My approach is integrative, collaborative, and grounded in respect for your expertise about your own life. I draw from Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, psychodynamic, existential, mindfulness-based, cognitive behavioral, DBT-based, and culturally responsive approaches. Rather than applying any one model rigidly, I work with you to identify what feels useful, accessible, and aligned with your goals.
Therapy and mental-health research have not always centered the experiences of marginalized communities, neurodivergent people, LGBTQIA+ people, disabled people, or people with complex trauma. I attend to the ways identity, culture, power, systemic oppression, access needs, and lived experience can shape mental health and the therapy process. I welcome feedback throughout our work and adapt our approach together so that therapy is meaningful, respectful, and useful to you
Similarly, my education and occupation also ranges from GED, to Community college, to Tier 1 Flagship Research University, to Research Scientist and Consultant. In my education and life, I have often taken difficult roads- or forged new roads- to accomplish my purpose in life.
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