LGBTQIA+ Affirming Child and Family Therapy in Montgomery County, MD
Our team of expert neurodiversity affirming therapists is ready to help your chosen family thrive. We offer Child Therapy, Teen Therapy, Parenting Support, and more.
Your relationship with your child can be absolutely beautiful. And it can be the most painful part of your life. All in the same day.
When you see your child struggle, it hurts. You know they deserve to love themselves. To see themselves how you see them (on a good day). But the world isn’t always so loving.
There’s friendship trouble. Bullying. Homophobia/ Transphobia. Struggling to learn and managing the responsibilities of school. It makes sense that your child would have some big feelings. And need some help learning to handle them.
Our expert child therapists are here for you and your child. (All child therapy includes parenting support.)
You’re already doing a lot to help them. (We know from experience: only good parents visit this page.) But it might not feel like enough to get them through. Let us add an expert therapist to your team. One who will honor and respect your identity and your child’s. And communicate with you through the process.
Counseling Services for Kids, Tweens, and Teens
All services are neurodiversity affirming and LGBTQIA+ affirming, and include parenting support or family therapy sessions.
Support for awesome neurodiversity-affirming parents
We’ve got your back. We know you’re giving this parenting thing your all. And yes, we know you still lose your cool more than you’d like. Parenting is HARD. And you’re exhausted.
Being a parent can be especially tough when your child is neurodivergent. This is because teachers, peers, and family members don’t always understand them. Their gender journey or sexuality may also be misunderstood. You’re learning to be an advocate AND a parent.
Fortunately, our therapists have already helped plenty of neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ kids, teens, and families thrive. We’ll help you and your child discover your strengths, celebrate your identities, and face challenges with confidence. Scroll down to see how.
Counseling Services for Parents and Families
Self Care for YOU
Scroll down to learn more about all of our services.
When you’re ready to bring out the best in your child and your family, we’re here. Meet our expert Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapists, in our Montgomery County, MD office or online.
Being neurospicy is awesome! But it can be stressful too. We’ll help you with the hard parts and cheer you on as you discover the best of yourself.
Our therapists are experts in living well with anxiety, ADHD, and autism.
Whether you’re looking for personalized support, practical strategies, or simply someone to talk to, we’re dedicated to making sure you and your family feel understood and empowered. Follow the steps below to start your path toward a more fulfilling and balanced life.
Reach out to us here so we can get to know your story better.
Learn more about our approach at Better Together Family Therapy.
Get matched with a smart and supportive therapist from our team.
Other Services We Offer in the Bethesda, MD Area
At Better Together Family Therapy, we’re passionate about supporting people of all ages through services that honor, respect, and celebrate who they are. In addition to our services for adults, we offer specialized child therapy and tween and teen therapy designed to help kids and teens navigate the ups and downs of adolescence with confidence and resilience.
For families coping with child anxiety, SPACE treatment is here to provide effective compassionate support. We also offer family therapy, where we work together to strengthen connections and resolve conflicts with understanding and care. And of course, all of our services are LGBTQIA+ affirming. Providing a safe space for you to explore your identity and celebrate who you are is central to our mission.
As you face the challenges of life, we’re here to help you find balance and thrive together.
More About Counseling and Therapy for Kids and Teens
All services are neurodiversity affirming and LGBTQIA+ affirming
Play Therapy
Play is how children process emotions and new experiences, learn new behaviors, and let go of old ones. Though every child’s play looks different on the surface, neurospicy kids use play in the same ways as neurotypical kids. Play therapy involves a trained therapist using carefully chosen materials to help a child express emotions and needs. Therapeutic play can be an important tool for strengthening emotional regulation and executive function for kids of all ages.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Kids
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches kids and teens to think about their thinking and notice the behavioral choices they make. Our expert child therapists teach CBT concepts through age appropriate stories and activities. Your child’s therapist will use strategies that work for your child specifically, taking into account his/her/their neurological profile and building on your child’s strengths to achieve goals.
Therapy for Teens and Tweens
It’s no secret. The pressures teens and tweens face are intense. These years bring harder schoolwork, new friendships and relationships, and more conflict with parents. They also bring opportunities to develop healthy self esteem, learn to use the internet wisely, and strengthen executive function. We’ll help your teen embrace who they are and get ready to grow!
Art Therapy
Art Therapy is a highly effective approach for kids and teens who are processing difficult emotions, struggling in school or with peers, and/or battling low self esteem. It helps young people process family changes like a divorce, or develop a positive identity as they grow. Art therapy can also help neurospicy kids and teens learn to plan and organize tasks and time more effectively. We’re so fortunate to have Licensed Art Therapists on our team!
SPACE Treatment for Child Anxiety
You’ll find this service listed in both our child therapy and our family therapy pages. That’s because the goal of SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is to reduce child anxiety. But the parents are the ones meeting with the therapist.
SPACE works by teaching parents specific ways to respond to an anxious child. Our expert therapists are trained in SPACE by the Yale Child Study Center and are ready to guide you (the parents) through the SPACE approach. If your child’s anxiety is changing the way you live your life, SPACE is for you.
Therapy for Life Transitions
Your family is going through a tough time. A major life change or new diagnosis just tossed your life upside down. You want to help your child through it.
These moments are significant opportunities for growth. Attending therapy during these times can help you process grief and loss. Heal from trauma. Cope with intense emotions. Set new boundaries. And decide what comes next. Child therapy, family therapy, and parenting support can all be helpful during this time. So can meeting with a therapist yourself to sort out your thoughts and feelings.
LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapy
Be who you are. Love who you love. Parent who you have. This is the recipe for a mentally healthy family life. For everyone. But it only works if we affirm the identities of our LGBTQIA+ family members. If you are struggling to find family support or to understand your LGBTQIA+ child, we can help.
Coming out (disclosing your gender identity, sexuality, or another element of yourself you’ve kept private or secret) creates a change in the family. Whether it’s a child, teen, parent, or partner who has chosen to trust you with their true self, we’re ready to help you take this opportunity to grow your relationships.
Counseling and Therapy Services for Parents and Families
Family Therapy
Conflict is normal. But when you aren’t having any fun together or start avoiding each other to get some peace, it’s time for change. Family counseling can help you communicate clearly, set boundaries and expectations, and understand each other better.
Neurocomplex families often need a little support to build mutual understanding. This is because communication between people with different neurotypes is like communication across cultures. Everyone has their own set of assumptions and perceptions. And they don’t match!
Help for Parenting Burnout
You’re not sure you can do this anymore. You imagine flying away to another life. One that isn’t about everyone else’s needs. Or at least one where you aren’t responsible for everything. It feels like nobody’s listening to you. Or helping you. And you’re DONE.
Parenting can take over your identity, making it hard to remember who you once were. We’ll help you find yourself again. Without having to move to Bora Bora and leave your family behind.
Parenting Support
Why doesn’t my child listen to me?! Parent support sessions can add tools to your parenting toolbox. Our supportive, nonjudgmental counselors will help you solve the parenting challenges you’re facing now, and become the parent you hope to be.
Parenting support is especially helpful when coping with the stress of parenting a neurospicy child. Or parenting with your own neurocomplexity in the mix. As neurodiversity affirming therapists, we are uniquely equipped to help with this challenge.
Couples Therapy / Marriage Counseling
Our licensed Couples Therapists help couples reconnect, resolve conflicts, and heal from past hurts. You’ll meet the therapist together to make sure it’s the right fit for all partners before you start. (Poly and non-married partners included.) Our expertise in neurodiversity affirming therapy prepares us to heal relationships in which one or more partners identify as neurodivergent. Or where you simply don’t see eye to eye.
Come ready to connect and heal, and we’ll do the rest.
We are experts in Neurodiversity Affirming Child and Family Therapy: Here are the Frequently Asked Questions in our practice
Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy FAQs: We’ve got answers!
What does "neurodiversity-affirming" therapy mean?
Neurodiversity-affirming therapy is grounded in the understanding that neurological differences — including ADHD, autism, dyslexia, sensory processing differences, and others — are natural variations in human experience, not deficits to be fixed. In our practice, this means we work with who you are, not against it. We focus on helping you understand yourself, build on your strengths, reduce suffering, and navigate a world that isn't always built with your brain in mind. We do not pathologize neurodivergence or use approaches designed to make you appear or behave neurotypical.
How is this different from traditional therapy?
Traditional therapy models were largely developed with neurotypical people in mind and can sometimes — even unintentionally — send the message that neurodivergent traits need to be eliminated or suppressed. Our therapists approach neurodivergence from a place of genuine respect and curiosity. We don't believe that masking or conforming to neurotypical standards is a therapeutic goal. We believe thriving looks different for different people, and we help you define what thriving means for you.
Do your therapists have personal experience with neurodiversity?
Yes. Our team includes therapists who identify as neurodivergent themselves, who are parenting neurodivergent children, and who are in relationships with neurodivergent partners. This lived experience, combined with our deep professional training, means we bring both head and heart to this work. You won't have to spend your session explaining what it's like — we already have some understanding, and we want to learn about your specific experience.
Do you work with people who are self-diagnosed or late-diagnosed?
Definitely! Whether you have a formal diagnosis from a psychologist or psychiatrist, or you've arrived at your own understanding through research and self-reflection, we welcome you. A formal diagnosis is not required to begin therapy. We do conduct our own thorough diagnostic interview at the start of treatment, which can help clarify the picture and inform our recommendations — but this is not a neuropsychological evaluation.
Do you do neuropsychological testing or evaluations?
We do not conduct neuropsychological testing. However, we do conduct a comprehensive diagnostic interview at the beginning of the therapy process and provide you with written clinical recommendations. If formal neuropsychological testing is needed, we are happy to refer you to trusted colleagues in the area.
What is your stance on masking?
We understand that masking — suppressing or hiding neurodivergent traits in order to appear neurotypical — is often a survival strategy, and we respect that. At the same time, chronic masking is exhausting and can be deeply harmful to mental health and identity. Our goal is to help clients understand their own masking patterns, reduce the internal cost of masking where possible, and build environments and relationships where they can be more fully themselves.
Are you listed with CHADD?
Yes. We are on the CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) list of recommended therapists. CHADD is one of the nation's leading organizations supporting individuals and families affected by ADHD, and we are honored to be a trusted resource in their network.
FAQs About Child Therapy for ADHD, Autism, and AuDHD
Does therapy cure ADHD or Autism?
No. Nor should it! ADHD and Autism come with strengths and challenges. AuDHD just means you have a combination of those that come with ADHD and those that come with Autism. The goal of therapy is not to change how your brain works, but to help you build a less stressful life for the brain you have.
Do you give AuDHD diagnoses? Where can I get evaluated for AuDHD?
AuDHD is shorthand for ADHD and Autism. If you think you may be living with both ADHD and Autism, you can pursue evaluation for both or start with our diagnostic interview. It’s truly up to you.
What age can my child start therapy?
It really depends on the type of therapy. Most children are ready to participate in the individual work we do around age 4. With our youngest clients, we may keep a parent in the room to facilitate communication and self regulation at first. For family therapy, younger children and pre-verbal or nonverbal children are also welcome to participate as part of the family system.
What does a therapy session look like for a young child?
For young children, sessions are often grounded in play therapy, art therapy and other expressive therapies. These modalities that allow children to express themselves and process their experiences in developmentally appropriate ways. Children don't always have the words for what they're feeling, and they don't need to. Play and creative expression are languages too. Our therapists are trained to read and respond to children's communication across many modalities.
Are parents involved in their child's therapy? Not everywhere. But at Better Together Family Therapy they are!
We actively and intentionally include parents in the child therapy process. Parent coaching is included in all child therapy, and we want parents present for a portion of their child's session whenever possible. We believe that parents are essential partners in their child's growth. The insights and skills that emerge in therapy need to be supported at home to be truly lasting. You are not on the outside of this process — you are central to it.
Do you collaborate with my child's school?
Yes, when parents request this service, we are glad to collaborate with school personnel — including teachers, counselors, and support staff — in both Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and local private schools. We are also on the recommended therapist list for WISER-DC, an organization that supports students with specific learning needs in local private schools. Supporting a child's growth means paying attention to all the environments they live in, and school is a big one.
Do you work with the IEP or 504 process?
While we do not conduct the evaluations that initiate IEP eligibility (parents and schools do), we can provide clinical documentation to support your child's school-based planning process, collaborate with school teams, and help parents advocate effectively for their children. Our written clinical recommendations following the diagnostic interview can be a valuable piece of that puzzle.
Will therapy try to change who my child is?
No. (Even if you sometimes wish it could.) Our approach is neurodiversity-affirming, which means we see your child's neurological makeup as part of who they are — not a problem to be eliminated. Our goal is to reduce your family’s struggle, build your child’s self-understanding and confidence, strengthen the family system around them, and help them develop skills for navigating life in ways that feel authentic to them. We are not trying to produce a neurotypical child.
Do you use ABA therapy? Can behavior be improved without ABA?
No. Our practice does not use Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Our therapeutic approaches — including play therapy, art therapy, CBT, narrative therapy, and family systems approaches — are grounded in a neurodiversity-affirming framework that prioritizes the child's inner experience, identity, and wellbeing rather than behavioral compliance. However, that doesn’t mean behavior won’t change. Setting appropriate boundaries and expectations for your particular child is part of your parenting process, and we’re here to support it.
My child is nonverbal or has limited verbal communication. Can they still benefit from therapy?
Yes. While our therapeutic methods work best when there is some capacity for verbal communication, we also draw on sensory-based and expressive modalities including art therapy and play therapy that do not require fluent verbal expression. For family therapy specifically, nonverbal family members are welcome participants. We can discuss your child's specific communication profile during a consultation to determine how we can best support them.
How do you handle ADHD without making my child feel like something is wrong with them?
Very carefully and intentionally. And with immense amounts of joy. We are genuinely happy to see your child. We LOVE their energy, creativity, and wild side.
We work hard to help children with ADHD understand their own brains with curiosity and even appreciation, not shame. We talk about how ADHD brains are wired differently — not broken — and we help children build self-awareness, emotional regulation skills, and strategies that actually work for their brain. We also work closely with parents to shift family dynamics that may unintentionally reinforce shame, and to build systems at home that help the child succeed.