My Journey

I grew up in a family that didn’t believe in therapy. Generations really. So my life up until therapy, was a game of survival: avoiding feelings, masking pain, and trying at all costs to be “normal.”

There’s a picture of me at my college graduation from the University of Vermont. I have a giant smile, multiple ropes and ribbons and things that are meant to validate achievement and giftedness. If a neurotypical or my parents looked at the photo, they might feel happiness or pride. But when I look at it I feel deep sadness for my younger self. Huge bags under the eyes signaling my soon-to-be Autistic Burnout breakdown, and a facial expression I recognize now as my Mask. As pretending.

A year or so after graduating was when I reached my initiatory “rock bottom.” Like so many Neurodivergent folks, I was suffering from co-occurring diagnoses and ultimately, the results of unresolved compounded trauma from birth, from family, from school and peers and society.

While that first session was so outside my comfort zone, I immediately began to feel hope again. To see a pathway forward. And since, have made healing my life’s work.

Part of my rock bottom story is professional dancing, disordered eating and exercise, gender dysphoria mistook for body shame, and insecure attachment. After choosing to recover, I developed a special interest in embodiment and began my Master’s in Counseling Psychology at the renowned California Institute of Integral Studies’ Somatic Psychology program. One of the few in the world. My thesis, “Tilling the Garden” was on treating eating disorders and developmental trauma with somatic psychology and energy healing.

I completed my 3,000 clinical associate hours at The Center for Somatic Psychology in San Francisco, Seeds of Awareness in Marin County, The Lotus Collaborative Recovery Center in San Francisco, Respire Therapy in San Francisco, and The Grateful Heart Holistic Therapy Center in Oakland.

I’ve trained with leading clinicians like Dr. Gabor Maté, Janina Fisher, Peter A. Levine, and the Couples Center Co-Founder: Gal Szekely.

Today I am proud Nonbinary AuDHD Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing Integrative Somatic Psychology specialized in supporting neurodivergent overachievers who deserve quality care.

How I Work

Through collaboration and intuition to center your needs and make therapy approachable, inspiring, and engaging. I help you arrive to session, tend to what’s on the surface, deepen into larger themes and pervasive patterns, and contain difficult emotions and memories before you have to shift back into the “real world.”

We'll investigate your core beliefs, heal chronic stress and break ongoing patterns. We'll restore your MindBody connection so you can move beyond surviving to thriving.

Through practice you'll transform.

True healing is non-linear, but you will experience small shifts immediately due to the power of working somatically: with the MindBody connection.

By working from the bottom-up: sensations, emotions, then thoughts, you'll access a well of information about yourself and foster compassion for your survival defenses, known as "parts" causing your inner conflict and outward distress.

You'll learn to trust yourself again.

  • Who I Serve

    Individual Adults and Teenagers

    Couples, Polycules and Parents

    Neurodivergent Folks (ASD, ADHD, AuDHD, OCD)

    Trans, Gender Non-conforming, Nonbinary Folks

    Cis Men and Women

    Queers and Allies

    Professionals (Teachers, Therapists, Lawyers, Nurses, Entrepreneurs, Engineers, Managers etc.)

    Folks with religious backgrounds or spiritual practices

  • What I Treat

    Anxiety and Depression

    Relationship Distress and Dating

    Eating Disorders and ARFID

    PTSD and CPTSD

    Gender Dysphoria and Body Dysmorphia

    Identity, spiritual and existential crisis

    Sensory overload and Internalized Ableism

    Chronic stress, workaholism and productivity guilt

    Grief, loss and major life transitions

  • Where I work

    7-9 months of the year via Telehealth

    1-2 months of the year in-person in San Francisco/ Oakland (optional)

    I live and work between CA and the East Coast

    2024 in-person months are Mid Feb-March

    If interested in 2024 in person work please email me at slmcintyrelmft@gmail.com

  • When I work

    Wednesdays 9 am PT - 8 pm PT

    Thursdays 9 am PT - 8 pm PT

    Available for rescheduling on an as needed basis

    1-2 months office closed (spread out thru the year)

    Clients receive at least 1 months notice of my vacations

    I regularly take off the weeks coinciding with Samhaim Oct 31-2nd (Halloween), the Winter Solstice Dec 20th-22nd, and the 4th week of February.

Why I Serve

I believe choosing to heal ourselves is essential for building a world that centers equity, inclusivity and connection. I believe humans are inherently good, but are so injured and trapped by our conditioned survival responses we forget how to access joy, authentic relationships or embrace change. Helping fellow humans heal gives me great satisfaction and hope for a brighter future our world so desperately needs.