Neurodiverse Couples Therapy in Florida
Online couples counseling for autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, and mixed-neurotype partners throughout FloridaYou want help with your relationship. You also want to know that the person helping you will understand the differences you have been trying to explain to each other.
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When you keep trying to explain and still feel misunderstood
You ask for help with something that has been weighing on you. Your partner starts offering solutions while you are still trying to explain. You wanted them to understand how hard things have been. They thought helping meant finding an answer.
You may also recognize the other side of that exchange. You were listening, thinking carefully, and trying to help. Now your partner is upset, and you are struggling to understand how your attempt to show care left them feeling alone. Either of you may find yourself in either position.
Sometimes the conversation continues in your head long after you stop talking. You replay what was said, reframe your point, or draft a longer explanation. You keep looking for the words that might finally make your experience clear. Your partner may feel that the conversation keeps starting over while you feel it never reached the part you needed them to understand.
Over time, it can become harder to bring things up at all. You anticipate having to explain your explanation. A question about what you meant feels like another demand to defend yourself. One of you pushes to keep talking because the issue still feels unresolved; the other has reached the limit of what they can take in. You may both leave the conversation feeling that there was no room for your experience.
The hurt can follow you into the rest of your relationship. You hesitate before sharing something vulnerable. Affection feels harder to reach for after another unresolved argument. Even when you are getting through the day together, you may miss the feeling that your partner knows you and wants to understand.
You still want to be able to turn toward each other. You want to talk about something difficult and leave feeling closer, with a sense that what matters to you matters to your partner, too.
Autism and ADHD couples counseling that makes room for both of you
You might be looking for counseling because one partner is autistic and the other is neurotypical. You may both be neurodivergent, with different needs even when you share a diagnosis. Or autism, ADHD, or both (AuDHD) may be a recent discovery that has raised new questions about your life together.
Your differences may help explain why the same interaction feels so different to each of you. One person may need more time to find words; the other may feel increasingly anxious while waiting for a response. You may disagree about what counts as reassurance, how much detail a conversation needs, or when an issue feels resolved.
Neurotype is one part of that picture. Stress, relationship history, past experiences, expectations, and the ways you have learned to respond to each other deserve attention, too. Some difficulties may be closely connected to neurodivergence; others may have more to do with accumulated hurt or patterns that have developed over time.
Your own descriptions of what happens will guide the work. We will look at how these factors interact in your relationship and what each of you wants to change. Understanding your differences and taking hurt seriously belong in the same conversation.
Working with Mark Cagle
I’m a Florida-licensed mental health counselor, a Certified Relational Life Therapist, and an AANE Certified Neurodiverse Couples Therapist. I’m also AuDHD. My experience informs my work while leaving room for yours to be different.
I take an active role in sessions. When a conversation becomes difficult, I may ask you to pause, clarify what you heard, or try expressing a request more specifically. We can make room for processing time and written tools when they help you participate.
The work can include practicing how to revisit an agreement, acknowledge an impact, or ask for something your partner has struggled to understand. We will choose goals that matter to both of you and look at how the changes hold up between appointments.
Online couples therapy throughout Florida
Florida appointments take place online. My physical office is in Dallas, Texas, and you can work with me from Florida through telehealth.
For appointments, plan for a private place where you can speak openly and a reliable internet connection. If you have concerns about being heard at home, distractions, or becoming overwhelmed during video conversations, bring them to the consultation so we can discuss what you would need.
If either partner will be traveling or joining from another state, contact me before scheduling so we can confirm whether sessions are available for your locations.
Questions about neurodiverse couples counseling in Florida
Do we need a formal autism or ADHD diagnosis?
No. I work with diagnosed, self-identified, and questioning adults. You can begin by describing the relationship concerns bringing you here, even if you are still deciding what language fits your experience.
Do both partners need to be neurodivergent?
No. I work with couples where one or both partners are neurodivergent. Each of you has room to describe your needs and what you hope will change.
Can we address intimacy or parenting concerns?
Yes. These concerns can be part of your couples therapy goals. You can also read about my work with sex and intimacy for neurodiverse couples and neurodiverse parenting.
How much does couples counseling cost?
The two-hour intake is $500, and ongoing 90-minute sessions are $335. I do not work directly with insurance. See the fees and FAQ page for payment information, or ask about fees during your free consultation.
I also offer couples therapy intensives. If you are interested in an intensive, schedule a consultation to discuss the options and whether that format fits your needs.
What if we have tried couples therapy before?
You can bring that experience into the consultation. It helps to know what felt useful, what was difficult, and what you would need from another attempt. We can discuss how your communication and processing needs might be supported in this work.
Start neurodiverse couples therapy in Florida
You may have a specific goal, or you may only know that the way things are going has become painful. A consultation is a place to explain what has been happening and ask questions about working together.
I offer online couples counseling throughout Florida. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to talk about the support you are looking for.
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