recent professional presentations:
Co-presenter with Candice Christiansen, LMHC, CSAT-S for the International Institute of Trauma & Addiction Professionals, June 14, 2024.
Love Addicted or Autistic and Seeking Safety? Accurately Assessing and Treating Autistic Females with Symptoms of Trauma, Sex, and Love Addiction in In-patient and Out-patient Settings.
Co-presenter with Candice Christiansen, LMHC, CSAT-S for the International Institute of Trauma & Addiction Professionals 18th Annual Symposium, April 27, 2023, Phoenix, Arizona.
Podcast interviews:
Faith & Feels Podcast with Rika Lopez, August 2025. Ep.40 Befriending Your Body: A Polyvagal Approach to Healing. In this episode, I talk with Rika about polyvagal theory and how it can help guide us in healing from trauma.
Faith & Feels Podcast with Rika Lopez, May 2025. Ep.29 When Curiosity Turns Dark: Exploring the Genre of Porn. In this episode, Rika, Anastasia Sprout, Lacy Bentley and I talk about pornography “genres” and unpack how curiosity can quickly spiral into exposure to content that is shocking, degrading, illegal/criminal, and extremely harmful, and why we need to be aware of what’s really out there. *Please note this is an explicit episode.
Journals of a Love Addict Podcast with Jodi White, April 2025. Ep.54 A Mind That Never Stops. In this episode, Jodi and I talk about topics related to female presentations of ADHD and Autism, overlaps with love addiction, the estrogen connection, why girls and women are often misdiagnosed, and I share about my personal experience with love addiction, recovery, and being diagnosed as ADHD/Autistic in adulthood.
Grizzly Talk Radio – Tough Talk for Challenging Times with Megan McKay, April 2024. Ep. 7. In this episode, Megan and I talk about being diagnosed with Autism in adulthood, our own psychotherapy, and our work as autistic therapists.
Autism Stories Podcast with Doug Belcher, July 3, 2023. In this episode, I talk with Doug Belcher about polyvagal theory and the importance of sex education for autistics.
Fabulously Candice Podcast with Candice Christiansen, May 2023. Season 3, Ep. 5. In this episode, Candice and I debrief our presentation for the 2023 IITAP Symposium: Love Addicted or Seeking Safety: Accurately Screening, Diagnosing, & Treating Autistic Females with Symptoms of Trauma, Sex, & Love Addiction In Both Inpatient and Outpatient Settings. We also introduce our neuro-affirming autism screening tool for diagnosing Autistic females.
Fabulously Candice Podcast with Candice Christiansen, March 2023. Season 3, Ep. 3. In this episode, Candice and I discuss the similarities between Autism and Borderline Personality Disorder as it relates to confusion among clinicians and the too-often misdiagnosis of Autistic females. We also share about how this gap in knowledge has impacted Candice and Aly throughout their lives and give a sneak peek into the content of their upcoming presentation for the 2023 IITAP Symposium.
Fabulously Candice Podcast with Candice Christiansen, December 2022. Season 2, Ep. 21. In this episode, Candice and I talk about women with autistic spectrum conditions, how stereotypes often lead to misdiagnoses, and what clinicians need to know to help combat the pathologizing of Autistic females.
Licensure
- California Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, 2008 (#425462)
- Oregon Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, 2022 (#T2025)
- Arkansas Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, 2025 (#M2505002)
CERTIFICATIONS/TRAININGS
- Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, International Institute of Trauma & Addiction Professionals, 2022
- Completed Level 1, 2, and 3 Attachment Focused – EMDR Training with Dr. Laurel Parnell, 2022
- Level 1 & 2, Post – Induction Therapy (Pia Mellody’s Model) with Sarah Bridge, Meadows Behavioral Health, 2021
- Best Therapeutic Practices in Treating Adults Enmeshed with a Parent Training with Dr. Ken Adams, 2021
- Unyte/iLS Safe and Sound Protocol, 2021
- 6 month training with Deb Dana, LCSW, Rhythms of Regulation: Foundations of Polyvagal Informed Clinical Practice, 2021
- Healing Trauma with Guided Drawing with Dr. Cornelia Elbrecht, 2020
- Level 1 & 2, Trauma-Informed Expressive Arts with Dr. Cathy Malchiodi, 2018 – 2019
- Trauma-Informed Yoga Training with Hala Khouri & Kyra Heglund, 2017
- Level 1 iRest Yoga Nidra with Dr. Richard Miller, 2017
- Certified California Sexual Assault Victims Counselor (2009)
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Licensed Psychotherapist, Owner, Private Practice. 2008-Present
- Santa Monica Medical Center, UCLA Rape Treatment Center 2008-2017
- Extensive specialized training in rape prevention education, child sexual abuse prevention, acute rape crisis services, and various models of trauma treatment. Trained with:
- Jackson Katz ( MVP Bystander Intervention Programs)
- Babette Rothschild (founder, Somatic Trauma Therapy)
- Peter Levine (founder, Somatic Experiencing)
- Pat Ogden (founder, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy)
- Diana Winston (Mindful Awareness Resource Center)
- Jean Kilbourne, Media Literacy
- Gail Dines, Pornography as a Public Health Crisis
- Served as mental health consultant for the multi-disciplinary task force to reduce internet/sex crimes against children with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, FBI, Law Enforcement, and others.
- Participated in planning and delivery of youth programming for the annual Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (ICAN) Cyber Crime Prevention Symposium in Los Angeles.
- Extensive specialized training in rape prevention education, child sexual abuse prevention, acute rape crisis services, and various models of trauma treatment. Trained with:
Formal, academic education:
- Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University of Memphis, TN (2001)
- Research interest: Substance Abuse Prevention, Adolescent Development
- Master of Arts, Counseling Psychology, Lesley University (2004)
- Research interest: Neuropsychology, Adolescent Development, Holistic/Integrative Practices
She Dreams
Aly Dearborn, mixed media collage, 2021