Introducing the Thriving Family Therapy Newsletter
Tools You Can Use
Much of the work I do with clients goes beyond traditional “talk therapy,” per se, and involves ways to regulate the nervous system. This is only natural, given my focus on autism, ADHD, complex trauma, and toxic stress and burnout – conditions that are inherently neurological.
If you’ve worked with me, you have undoubtedly been the recipient of a collection of my notorious “handouts” – usually in the form of an email entitled “follow-up”. What you might not know is that these are an ever-evolving collection of tools, research, and tips that reflect my ongoing effort to understand my own struggles and what helps. As I learn more, I try to share what works.
I’ve recently created or updated handouts on:
· Pathological Demand Avoidance / Pervasive Drive for Autonomy
· Internalized PDA
· Stress Reduction for Neurodivergent Adults and Trauma Survivors
· Sleep
If you would be interested in getting a copy of any of these materials, please email me and I will be happy to send it to you.
I’m working on updating my website to create a Resource Library, which will allow my clients to download any of my handouts they want at any time. (The general public would also have access, for a small charge.) I’ll let you know when this is up and running.
The State of the Practice
It’s been almost exactly two years since I took the leap into the great unknown and launched Thriving Family Therapy. I never dreamed, back then, that the shift from school-based work for a community mental health agency into private practice could go so well, or so quickly. So much to be grateful for… and so many new opportunities and challenges to address.
Today, on the two-year anniversary of the launch of Thriving Family Therapy, I have a practice that is itself (yes) thriving. Perhaps to a fault. With a caseload that averages 45 to 50 clients at any given time, and a schedule of 25-35 sessions per week, I’m full and more than full. My wait list is typically 3-6 months long. And I’m still getting a steady stream of referrals and requests for service, despite all of my listings making it clear that I’m not taking new clients for the time being.
As many of you know, I took a month off recently, my first “mini-sabbatical” since Covid. In part, this was to pursue personal goals and take a much-needed break. But it was also to ponder next steps for my practice. I want TFT to be not only viable, but sustainable for the long term. And I’m increasingly feeling pressure to make services and support more accessible to a broader range of people.
So, I’ve been slowly and quietly building in some improvements to my practice, and I am planning more. These include:
· Becoming qualified as a Clinical Supervisor for other therapists (effective May 2025). I plan to place a special emphasis on training neurodivergent therapists and those who plan to specialize in neurodivergent-affirming therapy, to increase the availability of help for this population
· Completing training in advanced methods of Brainspotting, and nearing completion of certification as a Brainspotting practitioner and consultant
· Gained my license as a Psilocybin Facilitator under the legal Oregon model in 2024, and began offering psilocybin-assisted treatment to select clients with trauma, treatment-resistant depression or anxiety, and chronic stress
· Obtained my California LCSW in 2024. Plans to start offering telehealth services there – in addition to Oregon, Idaho, Vermont, and Florida – have been on hold until there is room in my caseload
· Exploring the possibility of transforming from a solo practice to a group practice by hiring one or two additional therapists
· Built co-referral relationships with a group practice, several psychiatrists and PMHNPs, psychologists who perform autism and ADHD assessments, and therapists specializing in areas outside my own expertise
Plans to expand my service offerings are also underway, including:
· Support and psychoeducation groups (self-pay only), including for late-diagnosed autistic adults, parents and caregivers of neurodivergent children or young adults, and/or caregivers and medical professionals experiencing burnout
· Expanded psilocybin services
· Co-facilitating plant medicine and healing retreats in the Sacred Valley of Peru with my wife, Nani Diaz Bedregal, who is a licensed psychologist in Peru as well as a curandera in the Andean and Amazonian traditions with extensive experience working with plant medicine (ayahuasca, wachuma, and psilocybin)
· Offering consultation and training to other therapists, physicians, medical practices, employers, and school districts (nationwide) on ways to be more neurodiversity-affirming
Recent Podcast Appearances
I was honored to be invited to several podcasts recently on topics related to neurodiversity-affirming care as well as my experiences as a late-diagnosed autistic therapist. Recordings of these conversations can be found here:
· https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/global-podcast-network/id1797171849?i=1000716689650 or https://open.spotify.com/episode/3EnIlTU9RW4fv2QBbqsULi?si=5i3EXX9CR8ScV22813vnzQ
· https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/global-podcast-network/id1797171849?i=1000715616513 or https://open.spotify.com/episode/6GRkTYIpmBn9eZ8SRiysvg?si=8vNVMZ6pRmSA30VNihF9Ag
Social Media and Blog Links
If you haven’t been following my writing online, there are several places where you can keep up with what I’m thinking about:
· Blog: https://www.thrivingfamilytherapy.com/blog
· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThrivingFamilyTherapy
· Instagram: @ThrivingFamilyTherapy
· YouTube: @ThrivingFamilyTherapy
· Medium: @ThrivingFamilyTherapy
· Substack: https://substack.com/@thrivingfamilytherapy
The content on some of these platforms is still thin, but I’m working on that and plan to increase the pace of my output. Please follow any of these accounts you like, and stay tuned!
What I’m Working On
I’m in the process of pursuing an extensive continuing education course on ADHD to deepen my knowledge and toolbox to support people dealing with ADHD – similar to what I obtained several years ago to become a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist. I expect this training to greatly improve the depth and breadth of the support I can offer to my clients with ADHD and their families.
I’m also hard at work on a book for neurodivergent people. It will incorporate a wealth of knowledge and stories I’ve accumulated over the past 9 years, both from working with so many neurodiverse people and their families and also from my own personal journey, including discovering I myself am autistic at 56 years old. I’m pilot-testing some of the materials I am incorporating into the book in the handouts and online posts that I’m sharing.
Ways You Can Be Involved
I would welcome input into the book I’m working on. If you are willing to share your own journey and what you’ve learned along the way, please email me (David@ThrivingFamilyTherapy.com) and we can arrange a time for an interview. (This will be outside therapy sessions and will, of course, be free and confidential.)
My wife is hosting a plant medicine and healing retreat in the Sacred Valley of Peru from September 1-10, 2025. I will be assisting with integration and support for English-speaking guests. A few slots are still open – if you would like to pursue deep healing work in one of the world’s most beautiful and powerful energy centers, the heartland of the Inca, you can find details here: https://circulodeldharma.my.canva.site/englishversion
Remember that I also offer psilocybin-assisted one-day healing retreats in Ashland, Oregon. This work can be extremely effective for people dealing with cPTSD, chronic anxiety, treatment-resistant depression, and addictions, among other factors. Feel free to contact me for more details.
If you are interested in participating in a support group for neurodivergent individuals, or for parents of neurodivergent children, please contact me. When I have enough people to get a group started – say, 4-8 participants – I’ll contact you to set up a time that would work for everyone, most likely early evening on a weekday. Costs will be around $75 per person per session and will not be covered by insurance, but I’ll offer sliding scales for people with limited income.
If there are topics that you are especially interested in and that you would like me to address in a handout, worksheet, YouTube video, or blog post, please feel free to email me. I’m always seeking to learn more and expand the resources that I make available to clients and the general public, and I would welcome your input.
Thank you for reading this far, and please feel free to share this newsletter and my social media links with anyone you think might benefit.
How to Subscribe
I’ve added a subscription form to the home page of this website.
