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A photo of neurodiverse expert and therapist, Colleen Kahn. Colleen sees clients with Neurodiverse Couples Counseling Center and is here to support you on your journey.
My Neurodiversity

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  • I was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, while I was in graduate school learning about neurodiversity.

  • I am a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

  • I am raising two Highly Sensitive Children (HSC).


Specialties and Certifications

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  • Neurodiverse Couples Specialist

  • ADHD, Autism, AuDHD, Sensory Sensitivities and Processing

  • Sex

  • Anxiety and Depression

  • Parenting Children (Neurodivergent and Neurotypical)

  • Social Anxiety

  • Intimate Partner Abuse

  • Perfectionism/High-Achievement

  • Grief

  • Chronic Illness/Caregiving Support


Languages Spoken

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  • English

  • Mandarin Chinese

Life Experience

 

  • Born and raised in the South—in Louisiana and Texas—by immigrant Chinese parents, both of whom are neurodivergent.

  • Experienced various neurodiverse relationships through family, friends, partnerships, teaching, parenting and counseling.  

  • I have been an Early Childhood Educator for over 10 years with direct experience working with children ages 4-17.

  • Before attending graduate school, I was a stay-at-home parent for 8 years. 

  • I have been teaching yoga since 2011 and enjoy creating classes that bridge the mind-body connection in yoga with psychoeducation.​

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Multicultural Competencies

  • Intergenerational Trauma

  • Immigrant/Refugee Trauma

  • Second-Generation Immigrants- Bicultural/Multicultural 

  • BIPOC

  • LBGTQIA+

  • Bilingual: Mandarin Chinese


My Therapeutic Approach

My approach is client-centered and tailored to your unique needs, incorporating an integrative approach based on our interactions over time that include:


  • Neurodivergent-Informed

  • Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

  • Dialectical Behavioral (DBT)

  • Emotionally Focused (EFT)

  • Trauma-Informed

  • Solution-Focused 

  • Attachment-Based


More about Nancy ​​
  • I really enjoy making connections with people and am a naturally curious and inquisitive person.

  • I am an avid animal lover and advocate for the benefits of the bond between neurodivergent children and animals, drawing especially from firsthand experience.

  • I have perfect pitch and can identify notes in any song I hear immediately and can play the song on piano. This gift is linked to neurodivergent individuals, and a gift that I hid from others for most of my life, while I was still masking. 

 

Hi, I'm Nancy.

I'm glad we connected today!

I want to acknowledge how difficult it can be to take this first step in your journey in understanding more about yourself, your partner, and your relationship—especially if you’re at a crossroad.


It takes courage to cross an unknown journey.


You might be feeling hopeless, pessimistic, confused, and possibly filled with anger and angst about your relationship, especially when you notice recurring patterns—repeating the same conversations, and experiencing the same interactions, thoughts and emotions. 


In each of our personal journeys, we metaphorically travel a path and face various obstacles along the road— let’s call these life’s “challenges”. Sometimes, these obstacles can make us feel stuck, pressure us to turn back, confront them aimlessly, repeat familiar patterns, or find a new path and direction.


Obstacles are an essential part of a journey, just as the challenges we face in our life experience are unique and contribute to growth and transformation. Without these hurdles, it would be difficult to gain insight into our strengths, understand ourselves and the world around us, and develop the resilience needed to navigate life’s challenges.


Each obstacle we encounter shapes our character, deepens our understanding, and ultimately enriches our experience, making the journey more meaningful and rewarding.


The goal of our therapy sessions is to help you explore and harness the power of perspective and the choices you make, leading to acceptance and understanding around your unique challenges.


I aim to assist you in finding the right tools to gain insight and effectively navigate the obstacles along your life’s path. Additionally, I want to help you, and your partner reconnect and intertwine your paths, enabling you to continue the journey and create meaningful destinations together.


My Story

I am a child of Chinese Immigrant parents, born and raised in the south—specifically Louisiana and Texas. My neurodivergent journey started when I lost my mom in 2019 and discovered that she had undiagnosed mental health issues and was also neurodivergent. Witnessing the disconnect and misunderstandings that happen in a neurodivergent relationship helped me realize that every person wants to be loved and wants to love others. Every person deserves to be loved and longed for, the way they need and understand love to be. 


Since childhood, I have been extremely curious and inquisitive by nature and have a passion to learn about and understand others. I am a HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) and was late-diagnosed ADHD during graduate school while I was studying about neurodiversity and discovered that my perceived anxiety was an excess of complex thoughts in my mind that was misdiagnosed as generalized anxiety.


It took the right therapist to connect me to this understanding and acceptance.  My passion is to support others on their neurodivergent journey—to help them discover their authentic selves embrace their unique differences and build meaningful connections in their relationships. 


I have been living in the Bay Area for 17 years, married for 13 years, and have two neurodivergent children who are 7 and 9 years old. When I am not spending time with my family, I enjoy teaching yoga, exercising, cooking, having meaningful conversations and experiences with others, and being an avid animal lover. 

 

OBSTACLES FACED BY NEURODIVERGENT COUPLES:

  • Communication Differences – How do you express yourself, interpret what your partner is saying, and understand their message: Are you feeling misunderstood? 


  • Sensory Sensitivities – Are there feelings of being uncomfortable or overwhelmed by sensory stimuli such as sounds, lights and textures that prevent you or your partner from processing feelings or engaging with each other?


  • Emotional Processing – Is it difficult to recognize, interpret, and manage emotions during emotional experiences? Do you and your partner respond in a way that is challenging for each other?


  • Contrasting Perspectives -Do you and your partner have different views on issues or, see them differently?


  • Social Expectations - How do you and your partner navigate societal or cultural expectations in your relationship, and what impact do these expectations have on your interactions?


  • Routine & Flexibility - How do you and your partner handle changes to your routines or plans, and what effect does this have on your relationship?


  • Support Needs - How do you and your partner express and respond to each other's needs for support, and what challenges do you face in meeting these needs effectively?


 

Other Areas of Focus (in addition to neurodiversity)

  

  • Sex

  • Anxiety and Depression

  • Parenting Children (Neurodivergent and Neurotypical)

  • Social Anxiety

  • Intimate Partner Abuse

  • Perfectionism/High-Achievement

  • Grief

  • Chronic Illness/Caregiving Support


Clients

  • Couples

  • Individuals 

  • Families 

  

License

  • Registered AMFT #149167

  • Supervised by Dr. Harry Motro, LMFT #53452

  • Employed by New Path Couples Therapy Inc.

Specialty Areas:

ADHD, Autism, Intimate Partner Violence, Emotion Focused Therapy, Parenting (Neurotypical & Neurodiverse), Neurodiverse Couples, Sex/Physical Intimacy, Emotional Intimacy

Nancy Rushing

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