Autism therapists in Gainesville, FL
Find experienced Autism therapists in Gainesville, Florida who provide Autism testing, evaluations, and therapy. Our directory features detailed therapist profiles so you can compare qualifications, specialties, and treatment approaches to find the provider that’s right for you.
Autism
Florida Acupuncture and Counseling, Inc.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, LMHC; AP
At Florida Acupuncture and Counseling, we believe that every mind is unique and deserves to be supported with empathy, respect, and personalized care. Our team specializes in working with children, teens, and adults on the autism spectrum—including those with Asperger’s—offering holistic services that promote emotional balance, sensory regulation, and overall well-being.
Through integrative therapies such as mental health counseling, acupuncture, and massage therapy, we help neurodivergent individuals navigate challenges with anxiety, social interaction, focus, and daily transitions. Our safe, inclusive environment empowers clients and their families to build on strengths, improve communication, and thrive in their own authentic ways.
Whether you're seeking support for yourself or a loved one, we're here to walk alongside you with compassion and expertise.
7 Years Experience
In-Person in Gainesville, FL 32606
Online in Gainesville, FL
Autism
Peter Linden
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, Certified Gestalt Therapist
The medical model defines autism by what is supposedly lacking across all domains of existence. We cannot be empathetic, creative, imaginative, curious, aware, loving, connected, or attuned to other people. Our movements, gestures, special interests, need for certainty and concrete communication, and adaptations to overstimulating environments are used to define and control us. Through this paradigm, the autistic person is replaced by a persona seeking integration into a world that demands robotic subservience, only to encounter rejection, scorn, vitriol, and hate.
Autistic suffering is treated as evidence that autism itself requires “fixing.” Sensory overload-induced shutdowns and meltdowns, exhaustion, uncertainty, loneliness, sorrow, emptiness, and the need for support do not exist in isolation. Rather, these experiences are part of existence and cannot be ignored. This is where curiosity comes in.
Curiosity involves being with whatever is emergent, rather than endless intellectual and external analysis. Together, we will explore how you experience your body, sensations, flow, interests, connectedness to the earth, other people, time, and spaces in the present moment. Meltdowns and other adaptations are no longer reduced to “behaviors.” They remain a part of your ongoing humanity. Your story never ends. It is eternal.
Healing does not require taking on personas at the expense of your autistic identity. You are you. And I am I. Expectations are returned to the pit of sorrow and replaced with curiosity and love. Finally, I can just be.
3 Years Experience
Online in Gainesville, FL
Autism
Dana Wiesenfeld
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, PA-C
Feeling like the world was not built for you? Maybe it wasn’t but shouldn’t it be? Why are we supposed to acclimate to neurotypical people if we are the ones with challenges? What if we did not have to put on our normal person mask everyday? What if someone told you, being you is actually a good thing? That is what we do!
25 Years Experience
Online in Gainesville, FL
Autism
Dorothy Brown
Psychologist, Ph.D.
I have seen people on the spectrum for 30 years. I've run a group for parents of people on the spectrum. Each person on the spectrum has different needs. Some people want to be more social and some do not. I respect what ever their goals are and work toward positive change that brings their life more fullfilling.
36 Years Experience
Online in Gainesville, FL
Autism
Dr. Elizabeth Coldren
Psychologist, PSYD, PSYPACT
Many of the adults I work with are thoughtful, capable professionals and students, often in detail‑oriented or technical roles, who have spent years feeling “different” without having language for why. You may be wondering if you are autistic, have a recent diagnosis, or have known for a long time but never had support in making sense of it. From the outside, you may meet or exceed expectations and keep up with work or school. Inside, it can feel like constant effort: managing sensory overload, masking to fit in, replaying conversations, or needing significant time alone to recover from social or emotional strain.
Many adults I see describe a lifelong sense of being out of step with others, feeling misunderstood, or being told they are “too sensitive,” “too intense,” or “too much.” You may have built a life that works on paper but still feels exhausting to maintain. Masking, perfectionism, and trying to meet unspoken social rules can take a real toll on your nervous system and sense of self.
In our work, we approach autism and other forms of neurodivergence through a neurodiversity‑affirming, trauma‑informed lens. We look at how your brain and body naturally process the world, how past experiences have shaped your coping strategies, and what helps you feel more regulated and authentic. The focus is not on changing who you are, but on understanding your wiring, reducing the internal cost of masking, and creating a life that supports your nervous system rather than straining it. This is core to my practice, and it’s work I care about deeply.
26 Years Experience
Online in Gainesville, FL
Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, one of the largest universities in the United States by enrollment, and the city's character and mental health landscape are overwhelmingly shaped by this—a huge, young student population with significant academic, social, and identity-related mental health needs, supported by one of Florida's most comprehensive university counseling systems. UF Health Shands Hospital provides one of the state's strongest behavioral health services, making Gainesville an important regional resource for psychiatric care across north Florida. The population dynamic creates a city that is both progressive and college-town oriented, surrounded by a more rural north Florida context, and therapists in Gainesville work across a wide range of populations and presenting concerns. Common therapy concerns include academic stress, identity development, anxiety, substance use, young adult life transitions, and the particular challenges of a college community navigating mental health support often for the first time.
Autism therapists in Gainesville, FL Statistics
Autism therapists in Gainesville, FL average 14 years of experience and charge around $200 per session. 100% offer online sessions. The top treatment approaches are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (68%), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) (47%), and Behavioral Therapy (35%).
Average years in practice
14 Years Experience
Average cost per session
$200
Accept insurance
39%
Offer sliding scale
32%
Gender ID
| 60% |
Female |
|
| 25% |
Male |
|
| 8% |
Non-Binary |
|
| 7% |
Gender Fluid |
|
Session Type
| 61% |
In Person and Online |
|
| 39% |
Online Only |
|
Top Treatment Approaches
| 68% | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) |
| 47% | Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) |
| 35% | Behavioral Therapy |
| 35% | Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) |
| 32% | Family Systems Therapy |
| 31% | Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) |
| 29% | Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) |
Ages Served
| 97% | Adult |
| 81% | Young Adult |
| 54% | Teen |
| 51% | Senior |
| 38% | Children |
Client Focus
| 57% | Women |
| 53% | LGBTQ+ |
| 40% | Men |
| 36% | Persons with Disabilities |
| 31% | Christian |