About

I am an MA-Licensed LMHC and Neurodivergent-Affirming provider, committed to providing safe, accessible, creative, and informed services for all interested adults. Read more about what a neuro-affirming provider is here. (Link from Dr. Neff | Neurodivergent Insights)

Hello, wonderful human!

This is where I share a little about myself. Feel free to skip all this and go to the section about now.

Rhythm

I am a neurocomplex, heterosexual, cisgender woman, LGBTQIA+ Ally, and proud nature geek and Gen Xer.

Like you, I am an engaged and curious individual observing & feeling the significant shifts and revolutions around us. I am committed to participating in ongoing learning and unlearning opportunities, understanding my blind spots, barriers, internalized ableism, and privileges. I listen to and want to amplify marginalized voices. I am interested in changing patterns, breaking cycles, and sending positive dynamics into the world.

As a creative, maker, collector, photographer, gardener, innovator, nature geek, and upcycler, my mind often moves faster than my hands, planning and executive functioning. I am a collector of hobbies and a professional dabbler.

In my 30s, after years of working as a therapist, I discovered my own neurocomplexities (Mackereth, 2023). The journey that followed involved a lot of learning and unlearning, requiring my whole self and a lot of external support.

Adult Autistic advocates and communities were my guides and mentors, offering vital spaces and opportunities during this complicated phase of my life. Therefore, I am passionate about elevating Autistic and AuDHD voices and committed to supporting and advocating for and alongside them. My neurodivergent friends, family, and clients also continue to teach me about different approaches to neuroaffirming living and how to adapt therapies to be more neuro-informed.

Acknowledging my neurodivergence helped me understand the fears that once held me back from embracing my silly, weird, and enthusiastic nature.

While masking and fawning are still occasionally necessary, I am always free to be myself in the art studio. As an artist, I no longer judge my methods, mediums, or creative energy. I now accept my natural flow and thrive on my authentic, often offbeat rhythm.

Expansion

My first fifteen years as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Registered Art Therapist were dedicated to grief support and developing programs with hospice organizations and grief centers across Massachusetts. I created and led grief counseling, support groups, workshops, camps, and training for individuals, communities, and schools. I also supported hospice staff, volunteers, patients, and families through grief and end-of-life experiences.

These experiences deeply shaped and continue to inform me in all areas of my life.

I chose art therapy because I believe in the transformative power of the creative process. I then expanded my skills beyond traditional grief support, talk therapy, and art therapy. This expansion was inspired by my personal growth as a therapist, a woman, a spouse, and a mother, and by my newfound awareness of neurodiversity. I look forward to where the next few chapters take me.

Interconnection

In 2018, I started my private practice, combining my art therapy, grief support, and program development background with my values and new interests like curiosity, play, nature, Autism, AuDHD, PDA, and neuroscience. I created and continue to nurture a safe space for self-discovery, growth, learning, and unlearning.

I truly believe my lived experiences (end-of-life, grief, trauma, ableism, complex relationships, parenting, advocacy, alliship, mental health, neurodivergence, or learning disabilities) shape and continue to enrich my perspectives and practices.

As society moves beyond old, outdated systems and perspectives, I find myself also watching, listening, unlearning, connecting, and recognizing patterns. As a fellow traveler, I see how our human systems and landscapes are rapidly shifting.

Being neurodiversity-affirming means I don’t adhere to strict rules or protocols; I believe no single therapy works for everyone. I observe, practice, and adopt an experimental mindset and flexible, client-centered practice with my clients and myself.

Providing an accessible, safe space is a meaningful way to protest and advocate for the change needed. I create from my experiences, shifting interests, and growth, while living authentically, embracing adaptable systems, and accepting our messy humanity. I believe nurturing our interconnection is the best catalyst for change.

Go gently and wear your weird outloud,

Liz Cumming

Registered Art Therapist | Licensed Mental Health Counselor | Neurodiversity Advocate | Neurocomplex Human & Parent | Dyslexic Thinker | Resource Gatherer | Dabbler | Collector | Artist | Maker | Innovator | Gardner | Photographer | Cat Mom | Observer | Dreamer | Nature Wisdom | Tree Geek | Inner Dryad

Neuroaffirming Therapy “emphasizes supporting individuals through their challenges and making accommodations for their needs. This approach views neurodivergence not as a flaw to be corrected but as a distinct neurotype or brain style that is an integral part of an individual’s identity. The goal is to empower neurodivergent individuals to recognize and leverage their strengths, navigate their challenges, and make adjustments tailored to their personal requirements. More than merely offering support, neurodivergent-affirming care actively acknowledges the specific hurdles, barriers, and necessities faced by neurodivergent people. Therapeutic strategies are customized to meet an individual’s unique circumstances, focusing not on altering the inherent neurodivergence but on addressing any difficulties arising from it.”  –Dr. Neff | Neurodivergent Insight