About

Hi, I’m Avery Neal (they/them).

My name is Avery Neal (they/them), and I am a neurodivergent, nonbinary licensed independent social worker offering trauma therapy for adults in Ohio, including Cincinnati and the surrounding areas. My practice offers space to explore identity, belonging, and liberation through an anti-oppressive and trauma-informed lens developed with real care.

I am dedicated to providing anti-oppressive mental health care to neurodivergent individuals. I do my best work with adults who experience the cumulative effects of microaggressions steeped in racism, colorism, ableism, queerphobia, transphobia, fatphobia, and other oppressive attitudes.

I enjoy assisting clients with clarifying their most cherished values and helping them construct enforceable boundaries to protect their peace, the relationships that matter most to them, and, when needed, ending relationships that no longer serve them. I am honored when I am entrusted with the task of helping clients work through the traumas they endured so they can reclaim ownership of their lives, bodies, and choices and return to feeling able to live safely in the moment.

I am eager to empower folks to find safety and liberation within themselves while existing in a world that can be hellbent on sowing seeds of fear and isolation.

My Approach

I blend deep compassion with practical strategies to help you move from survival toward wholeness. My approach is eclectic and EMDR trained, shaped by curiosity, collaboration, and care. Therapy with me is not about quick fixes or surface solutions. It is intentional, steady work focused on emotional sustainability and creating change that lasts.

Because trauma-focused work such as EMDR can bring up vivid imagery, dreams, and symbolic material, my approach is informed by depth-oriented perspectives that help us explore meaning without overinterpreting or dismissing what emerges. I attend to patterns, metaphors, and inner experiences as they arise, supporting thoughtful reflection while remaining grounded in nervous system–informed and trauma-focused care.

Do you feel compelled to mask your neurodivergent traits even when you are no longer in a space where you feel pressure to code-switch? I am committed to cultivating a space for people to feel accepted, safe, and heard as their most authentic selves. Do you find yourself exhausted from trying to explain to others how the many facets of your identity impact your daily life?

I am an Anti-Oppression Informed Practitioner. While that does not mean I know absolutely everything about every person’s lived experience, it does mean I am prepared to listen to the expert in your experience, that is you, with a humble ear that presumes your competence.

Do you feel unsure of your values and have difficulty maintaining boundaries? Let me affirm your right to protect yourself from harm no matter how inconsequential others may make you feel. Do you still feel remnants of unresolved trauma rattling in your brain and body? Let’s process why that is using trauma-informed therapy approaches, including EMDR therapy, and work toward the possibility of peace for yourself.

My Background and Neurodivergence Experience

I have been connected to neurodivergent and disabled communities for most of my life. I began volunteering in this work at 17 years old and spent six years as a neurodiversity affirming special education teacher focused on accessible and equitable education for every student. I also worked within the developmental disabilities service system, gaining firsthand experience with the supports, barriers, and advocacy needs that many clients face.

This work has been a meaningful part of my life for a long time and continues to guide how I practice. It shapes the way I understand people, systems, and the kind of care that promotes real dignity. Neurodivergent affirming practice is not a trend to me. My therapeutic style is grounded in long-term experience, real relationships, and a commitment to honoring each person’s way of moving through the world.

I earned my Master of Arts in Social Work from Miami University and continue to grow through advanced training in trauma, EMDR, Autism, gender-affirming care, and anti-oppressive practice.

Outside the Therapy Room

When I am not in session, I enjoy stand-up comedy, birdwatching, and spending time with my two dogs and cat. I also love collecting and making zines and I am reconnecting with my creative side in ways that feel playful and grounding. I am a proud graduate of Drawing for the Extreme Beginner.

I am involved in both advocacy and professional education. I present a training through my professional organization and participate in community advocacy through testimony to lawmakers, attending school board meetings, and writing letters that speak to the realities of those most impacted by policy decisions. Staying engaged in these spaces keeps me connected to the larger systems shaping our lives and reinforces the purpose behind my therapeutic work.