Autism Support Services
Autism Support Services
Support That Begins With the Actual Person
Autism support services at Coherence are guided by the understanding that autism is a neurodevelopmental difference that can look very different from one person to another. Autistic children, adolescents, and adults may have different communication styles, strengths, challenges, sensory experiences, learning profiles, and support needs. Effective support begins with understanding the individual person rather than applying the same approach to everyone with the same diagnosis.
At Coherence, Jennifer Linton Reesman, PhD, ABPP and Dr. Korrie Allen, PsyD, ABSNP provide support for autistic individuals and families through a perspective that considers the whole person. Autism is not viewed as something that needs to be erased or changed. Instead, support focuses on helping individuals better understand themselves, develop strategies that are useful in their daily lives, strengthen relationships, and navigate environments that may not always match their needs.
Families may seek autism support for many different reasons. Some are looking for help understanding a recent diagnosis. Others may be navigating social challenges, emotional regulation, school concerns, transitions, independence, or questions about how to best support their child. Some individuals may be seeking strategies for managing daily demands, understanding their own experiences, or advocating for what helps them function best.
Autism-related challenges can be real and can affect many areas of life, including communication, flexibility, sensory experiences, friendships, learning, and emotional regulation. At the same time, autistic individuals also bring unique strengths, interests, perspectives, and ways of understanding the world. Meaningful support considers both.
The goal of autism support at Coherence is to help individuals and families better understand the full picture: what comes naturally, what feels challenging, what environments are supportive, and what strategies can make everyday life more manageable. Support is built around the individual’s needs, goals, and experiences rather than a one-size-fits-all definition of autism.
Autism Support
Social communication is one area that many autistic individuals and families explore when seeking support. This work is not about teaching someone to hide who they are or simply memorize social rules. Instead, support focuses on helping individuals better understand social situations, identify what feels confusing or challenging, communicate their needs more effectively, and develop strategies that make relationships and everyday interactions feel more manageable.
Every person’s social communication profile is different. Some individuals may have difficulty interpreting unspoken expectations, understanding another person’s perspective, navigating changes in conversation, or knowing how to respond in unfamiliar situations. Others may understand social interactions well but find them exhausting because of the amount of effort required. Support is designed around the individual’s experiences, goals, and the environments they are navigating.
Emotional regulation is another common area of focus. Many autistic individuals experience emotions strongly and may need support identifying what they are feeling, understanding what contributes to overwhelm, and developing strategies that fit their sensory and emotional experiences. Approaches that work well for one person may not work for another, which is why regulation strategies need to be individualized rather than based on a standard set of techniques.
At Coherence, Jennifer Linton Reesman, PhD, ABPP and Dr. Korrie Allen, PsyD, ABSNP provide autism support that considers communication, emotional regulation, sensory experiences, anxiety, and daily functioning together. When anxiety is part of the picture, treatment is adapted to consider the ways autistic individuals may experience uncertainty, change, sensory demands, and social expectations.
For school-age children and adolescents, support may also involve collaboration around educational needs. This can include helping families understand school recommendations, navigate support systems, and consider services such as IEP consultation when appropriate.
The goal of autism support is not to change the person they are. It is to help individuals better understand themselves, build useful skills, advocate for their needs, and create environments where they can participate more comfortably and confidently.
later identification
Late-Identified Autistic Adolescents and Adults
Many adolescents and adults come to Coherence with questions about autism after years of feeling that certain parts of life have been harder to understand or navigate than expected. Some individuals receive an autism diagnosis later in life, while others begin the evaluation process because they have long wondered whether autism may help explain their experiences.
A later identification of autism can bring many different reactions. For some people, receiving an explanation for long-standing patterns can feel validating and provide a new way to understand themselves. Others may experience a range of emotions as they reflect on past experiences, including missed supports, misunderstandings, or situations where their needs were not recognized. Making sense of these experiences is often an important part of the adjustment process.
Support for late-identified autistic individuals at Coherence focuses on understanding the individual’s experiences, strengths, challenges, and goals. This may include exploring identity, communication style, relationships, emotional well-being, self-advocacy, and the practical ways autism affects daily life.
Many late-identified individuals also explore the impact of masking, or the effort involved in adapting their behavior to meet expectations that may not feel natural or sustainable. Over time, this can contribute to exhaustion, stress, anxiety, or a feeling of disconnect from one’s own needs. Therapy can provide space to better understand these patterns and develop approaches that are more supportive and authentic.
At Coherence, autism support is centered on helping individuals build a clearer understanding of themselves and identify what allows them to function, connect, and thrive. The goal is not to change who someone is, but to help them recognize their needs, use their strengths, and create a life that better fits who they are.
Please note that contacting this practice does not establish a patient provider relationship.
Our Values
Connecting Evaluation Findings to What Comes Next
An adult neuropsychological evaluation is not an endpoint. It is a clinical foundation for the decisions, supports, and next steps that follow. For adults in the workforce, findings can support documentation for reasonable accommodations, including extended time for professional licensing examinations, adjustments to workplace demands, or formal disability-related considerations when applicable. For adults navigating medical conditions or changes in functioning, evaluation results provide a clear cognitive and functional profile that can assist physicians and other treating specialists in planning care and monitoring change over time.
When authorized by the individual, both clinicians at Coherence, Jennifer Linton Reesman, PhD, ABPP and Korrie Allen, PsyD, ABSNP, coordinate directly with other providers involved in care. Reports are written with practical use in mind across multiple settings, including medical, educational, occupational, and legal contexts when relevant. The goal is for the evaluation to be usable beyond the clinical setting, supporting real-world decisions rather than remaining limited to interpretation within psychology alone.
Reach Out About Autism Support
To learn more about autism support services at Coherence for children, adolescents, or adults, contact us.
coherence and Evaluations
Autism Support and Evaluation: Both Clinicians at Coherence
At Coherence, both Jennifer Linton Reesman, PhD, ABPP and Dr. Korrie Allen, PsyD, ABSNP provide neuropsychological evaluation for autism spectrum disorder. Both clinicians also support autistic individuals and their families, with services tailored to the questions, needs, and goals of each person.
Neuropsychological evaluation can help clarify an individual’s cognitive profile, developmental history, strengths, challenges, and support needs. Jennifer Linton Reesman, PhD, ABPP provides evaluation, consultation, and collaboration with families, medical providers, and schools as part of understanding the broader clinical picture. Dr. Korrie Allen, PsyD, ABSNP also provides autism evaluation and offers therapy, behavioral support, parent coaching, and school-related support for individuals and families seeking help with everyday challenges.
For families who need both evaluation and ongoing support, having these services within the same practice allows information to be connected rather than treated as separate pieces. With appropriate authorization, clinicians can collaborate around findings, recommendations, and treatment goals so that support reflects a fuller understanding of the individual.
For example, a child who completes an autism evaluation may benefit from ongoing therapy or parent support that takes those findings into account. An adolescent or adult already receiving support may later benefit from additional evaluation or updated understanding of their cognitive and developmental profile. In these situations, families can continue building from the information already gathered rather than starting over.
The goal of this coordinated approach is to help autistic individuals and families receive support that reflects the whole person, including strengths, challenges, environment, and the experiences that shape everyday life.