I chose to see Angel specifically because he advertised himself as an Autism/ADHD specialist, having had much better experiences with such providers in the past. He is also listed as a BIPOC-affirming provider, and I felt that combination could create a mutual plane of understanding, especially as someone who is both neurodivergent and from a marginalized background.
While he has good intentions, Angel came off as extremely sheltered and blissfully unaware of the everyday realities that neurodivergent people face, and that absolutely bled into his work.
His reactions to unfortunate but very common AuDHD experiences (like masking, workplace discrimination, or internalized ableism) were often full of visible shock and disbelief. It honestly made me question his actual expertise.
I got the impression that he’s so used to existing within “safe spaces”, whether related to neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ identity, or other progressive bubbles, that he has trouble relating to real-world experiences outside of them.
Instead of feeling supported or understood as I should feel in therapy, I often felt like I was explaining things to someone who should already know better. It didn’t feel affirming but was instead exhausting, invalidating, and at times, just plain irritating.
He also ended up inserting his personal political or ideological viewpoints into sessions, often in contexts where they felt completely unrelated or uninvited.
On several occasions, I found myself avoiding topics altogether, knowing I’d receive a response filtered through his worldview instead of grounded therapeutic support.
Again, this seemed to come from a lack of awareness rather than malice, as he seemed to not understand that his deeply progressive views may not be universally accepted and shouldn’t be treated as such in a clinical space that’s meant to be more neutral and client-centered.
To his credit, Angel was respectful and attentive, and he listened when I gave direct feedback which I appreciated. I don’t believe he had any malicious intent at all. But in my opinion, he still has a tremendous amount of growth ahead before he can effectively function as an ND-affirming therapist. He may understand neurodiversity in theory — but not in practice, and certainly not in the real world, where things are far less affirming or forgiving than he seems used to.
I’m sharing this review for others who are neurodivergent and looking for a therapist who truly gets their lived experience. Based on what I went through, I can’t recommend working with Angel. This was not the support I needed — and I hope this helps others make a more informed choice.