Autism can shape the way you or your child experiences emotions, relationships, routines, sensory input and everyday expectations. At times, these experiences may feel overwhelming, especially when they are hard to explain.
Through therapy, you can make sense of these experiences and develop ways to cope with daily challenges. This may include working through anxiety, emotional regulation, self-esteem, social stress, changes in routine, or autistic burnout.
At Sofia Wellness Clinic, we provide counselling for children, teens and adults who may need help processing their emotions, understanding their needs and finding coping strategies that feel manageable.
What Is Therapy Support For Autism?
Autism therapy is a form of counselling that helps autistic individuals make sense of their emotions, needs and experiences. Rather than trying to change who you are, therapy gives you room to explore challenges related to daily life, relationships, school, work or family expectations.
For children and teens, therapy may focus on emotional awareness, frustration, anxiety, or expressing needs safely. For adults, it may help with concerns such as autistic burnout, self-esteem, or the pressure of masking in social and professional settings.
How Can Therapy Support For Autism Help?
The goals of autism therapy vary from person to person. Depending on your needs, therapy can help with:
Emotional Regulation
Some autistic individuals may only recognise what they are feeling once the emotion becomes intense. In sessions, you can start to notice emotional patterns, understand possible triggers, and explore ways to respond when feelings become harder to manage.
Anxiety, Stress and Burnout
Changes in routine, social expectations, sensory stress or the pressure to mask can be emotionally tiring. Counselling offers space to understand what may be contributing to anxiety or stress, while developing coping strategies that feel realistic in daily life.
Self-Esteem and Identity
Autistic individuals may sometimes feel misunderstood or pressured to fit into environments that do not fully accommodate their needs. With counselling, you can work through self-doubt and build a kinder understanding of yourself.
Social Communication and Daily Coping
Therapy can also help with challenges related to communication, relationships, school, work or independence. This may include learning how to express needs, set boundaries, or prepare for situations that feel stressful.
When Might Autism Therapy Support Be Helpful?
You or your child may benefit from therapy if you are:
For Children & Teenagers
- Experience frequent emotional outbursts or shutdowns
- Find it hard to express what they are feeling
- Feel anxious about school, friendships or changes in routine
- Become overwhelmed in social situations
- Have difficulty coping with frustration or disappointment
- Seem withdrawn, misunderstood or unusually stressed
- Struggle to communicate their needs at home or in school
- Need support building confidence and emotional awareness
For Adults
- Have difficulty managing emotions or stress
- Feel exhausted from masking in social or work settings
- Feel anxious around relationships, communication or expectations
- Struggle with self-esteem after years of feeling misunderstood
- Feel overwhelmed by changes, transitions or daily responsibilities
- Are experiencing autistic burnout or long-term emotional fatigue
- Want to better understand your needs, boundaries and identity
- Need support navigating work, relationships or family expectations
For Children & Teenagers
- Experience frequent emotional outbursts or shutdowns
- Find it hard to express what they are feeling
- Feel anxious about school, friendships or changes in routine
- Become overwhelmed in social situations
- Have difficulty coping with frustration or disappointment
- Seem withdrawn, misunderstood or unusually stressed
- Struggle to communicate their needs at home or in school
- Need support building confidence and emotional awareness
For Adults
- Have difficulty managing emotions or stress
- Feel exhausted from masking in social or work settings
- Feel anxious around relationships, communication or expectations
- Struggle with self-esteem after years of feeling misunderstood
- Feel overwhelmed by changes, transitions or daily responsibilities
- Are experiencing autistic burnout or long-term emotional fatigue
- Want to better understand your needs, boundaries and identity
- Need support navigating work, relationships or family expectations
You do not need a formal autism diagnosis to seek support. If certain challenges are affecting your daily life, therapy can provide a safe space to explore your experiences and develop strategies that work for you.
Our Approach To Autism Support and Therapy
At Sofia Wellness Clinic, autism therapy support is tailored to your experiences and goals. Sessions are held one-on-one, with caregiver involvement where helpful for younger clients.
Understanding Your Experiences
We start by getting to know what daily life feels like for you or your child, including any challenges or situations that may feel overwhelming.
Developing Personalised Strategies
Your therapist will work with you to find practical ways of coping to help navigate everyday situations, emotions, communication, and relationships.
Building Confidence & Resilience
Our goal is to foster greater self-understanding, confidence, and resilience, empowering you to thrive at home, in school, at work, and in daily life.
Our Autism Therapists
Alexandra Bohnen
Senior Counsellor
Alexandra brings deep empathy, clinical expertise, and a genuine passion for helping neurodiverse individuals thrive. She takes a warm, person-centered approach, drawing on a wide range of therapeutic modalities to create an inclusive, non-judgmental space tailored to each person’s unique needs.
Claire Leong
Counsellor
With extensive experience working with children, youth, and families, Claire is passionate about helping neurodiverse individuals tap into their strengths and live life to the fullest. Guided by her own personal journey, she fosters genuine connection with her clients and creates a space where they feel safe to grow and thrive.
Pearlyn Yap
Counsellor
With experience across children, adolescents, young adults and caregivers, Pearlyn sees clients with ASD, ADHD, special education needs and developmental conditions. Her approach is trauma-informed, strengths-based and neuro-affirming, with a focus on helping clients feel understood.
Our Fees For Autism Therapy Support
We provide both in-person and online counselling, making it convenient for you to access the help you need. Online and in-person sessions are charged at the same rate.
| Consultation | Duration | Senior Counsellor | Counsellor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial session | 75 min | $250 | $220 |
| Subsequent sessions | 50 min | $200 | $170 |
| Subsequent sessions | 75 min | $250 | $220 |
| Out-of-session phone call or email | Per 10min blocks | $40 | $35 |
Why Choose Sofia Wellness Clinic?
Neurodiversity-Affirming Care
We take a respectful and non-judgemental approach to counselling. This means recognising autistic experiences as valid, while supporting the emotional challenges that may come with anxiety, masking, burnout, school stress or social expectations.
Safe Space For Self-Understanding
Therapy offers space to explore feelings, needs and patterns at a comfortable pace. With the right guidance, you can build confidence, communicate your needs more clearly, and carry what you learn into everyday situations.
FAQs About Autism
What is autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person experiences, communicates and interacts with the world. Because autism exists on a spectrum, every autistic individual has unique strengths, challenges and support needs.
Is therapy support for autism only for children?
No. Autism therapy is not only for children. For children and teens, sessions may focus on emotional awareness, communication, confidence and coping with school or social stress. Some families may also explore child counselling or teenage counselling when broader emotional guidance is needed.
For adults, adult counselling may be helpful for concerns such as masking, burnout, relationships, identity or managing daily expectations.
Do you provide autism assessments or diagnoses?
No, Sofia Wellness Clinic does not provide autism assessments or formal diagnoses. Our role is to provide counselling and social-emotional guidance for autistic individuals, those who suspect they may be autistic, or families seeking support. If you are unsure who to approach for assessment or mental health care, our guide on psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists explains the differences between these roles.
Do I need a formal autism diagnosis to seek therapy?
No, you do not need a formal diagnosis to start therapy. Some clients come to therapy after receiving a diagnosis, while others may be exploring whether autism could help them better understand their experiences.
Therapy can still provide space to understand your needs, emotions and coping patterns, even without a formal diagnosis. If you are unsure whether therapy is the right next step, speak to our counsellors about what support could look like for you.
At what age should counselling support for autism start?
Autism therapy can start at different ages, depending on the individual’s needs. Some children may benefit from therapy when they begin facing challenges with emotions, communication or school routines. For younger children, play therapy may also be considered when they need a more developmentally appropriate way to express emotions.
Teenagers and adults may seek therapy later when stress, identity, relationships or daily coping become harder to manage.
How long does autism therapy support take?
There is no fixed timeline for therapy support for individuals with autism. Some clients may find short-term support helpful for a specific concern, while others may prefer ongoing sessions to work through deeper patterns or life changes.