Dr Katherine Uher

I am an openly AuDHD psychotherapist specialising in ADHD, autism, complex trauma and the psychological effects of being repeatedly misunderstood. I was diagnosed with Asperger’s at the age of six and have specialised in neurodivergence and complex trauma for over a decade.

I work with autistic adults who want to understand themselves more deeply, including people who are newly diagnosed, wondering whether they may be autistic, experiencing burnout, or trying to make sense of a lifetime of feeling different.

Parents and carers sometimes come to me after years of navigating systems in which they have felt blamed, scrutinised or disbelieved. They may feel dependent upon professionals for essential support while also feeling frightened that questioning decisions could make matters worse. Therapy offers somewhere to process these experiences without having to defend your parenting, prove what happened or protect the reputation of the services involved.

I welcome clients who want to explore their gender or sexuality. I recognise that, for many people, working with a therapist who shares their identity and lived experience is important. I am a cisgender white woman, so I cannot offer that shared experience to everyone. However, I am LGBTQIA+ affirming and committed to providing a respectful space in which clients of all genders and sexualities can explore their experiences without judgment or assumption.

MY TYPICAL WORK & ETHOS

A central idea in my work is that autistic people can gradually lose confidence in their own perceptions when their experiences are repeatedly dismissed, corrected or misinterpreted. Over time, this can affect identity, boundaries, relationships and the nervous system. Distress that is described as simply “part of autism” may sometimes be the result of years of masking, exclusion, unmet needs or chronic misunderstanding.

Therapy can help you begin separating who you are from the stories that have been placed upon you. Together, we can explore your experiences without assuming that you are the problem to be fixed. The aim is not to erase complexity, but to help you develop a clearer understanding of yourself, regain trust in your perceptions and make choices that reflect your actual needs.

I am particularly experienced in working with:

• The effects of being chronically misunderstood
• anxiety, shame and low self-worth
• autistic burnout and overwhelm
• masking and loss of identity
• complex and relational trauma
• gender and sexuality
• difficult family or relationship dynamics
• late-life diagnosis and the stages that follow that
• parents and carers navigating education, health or social-care systems
• institutional trauma and the effects of prolonged advocacy
• relationships involving different neurotypes

Clients often describe me as warm, perceptive, empathic and honest. I do not sit behind a professional mask or expect you to communicate in a particular way. I offer a thoughtful and genuinely collaborative relationship in which your experiences will be taken seriously.

A LITTLE MORE BLOWING MY OWN HORN

I hold a PhD in Counselling Studies from the University of Edinburgh and an MSc in Psychotherapy. My doctoral research examined autism and trauma, and my forthcoming book, Why So Many Autistic People Have Complex Trauma, and What We Can Do About It, will be published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in 2027.

Alongside my everyday clinical work, I provide clinical supervision and training to other therapists working with neurodivergent clients, I teach about autism and trauma and write magazine articles around... (wait for it).... Autism and Trauma! 

Below are some of my published articles include It’s Not “Just Autism”: Understanding Trauma in Autistic Lives, Parent Career Blame, and

• How Being Read to Helps Autistic Children: www.huffpost.com/entry/how-being-read-to-helps-children-with-autism_b_57d294fde4b0f831f7071ac7
• How to Help Autistic Children Thrive: www.huffpost.com/entry/the-1-way-to-help-an-autistic-child-thrive_b_58e23b1be4b0d804fbbb74b6
• Not Allowed to Not Cope: www.huffpost.com/entry/not-allowed-to-not-cope_b_57cfdab0e4b0f831f70632f4
• Parent Blame: www.specialneedsjungle.com/parent-blaming-avoid-professional-accountability-human-rights-issue/
• Mastering Change Podcast: Autism, Identity and Fighting the System -

I sometimes publish small blog type articles on Facebook from time to time. 

I also developed an original neuro-affirming therapeutic framework "The TISM" (Trauma Informed Support Model) and resources. These focus on sensory and relational safety, rebuilding trust in one’s perceptions, understanding autistic identity, recognising distress responses that may have been mistaken for autistic traits, and helping people become the authors of their own experiences. I'll put some of the materials in the images above.

THE ADMIN BIT

I currently have a limited number of daytime online appointments available. I offer weekly or bi-weekly therapy at the same agreed time each week. No monthly please. Because of my neurodivergence, I struggle when sessions are not at the same time and taking place at least every fortnight. As well I do find that consistency helps to build a secure and meaningful therapeutic relationship.

If this sounds like the kind of support you are looking for, you are welcome to contact me to discuss whether we might work well together.

Sessions are £65 for 50 minutes. Clients attending weekly may choose to pay £500 in advance for a block of eight sessions, reducing the cost by £20.00 over those sessions.