Scott Allen, PsyD – Director of Neurodiversity Services

My passion for helping people with autism and ADHD* stems from my childhood experiences and my early experiences in working with these populations. As an intern, I assisted in an inclusive preschool setting and learned that teaching social and life skills can seamlessly be integrated into fun activities. I look back on my first patient and remember feeling compassion in regards to his social challenges but also fascination in his unique way of looking at the world. In my time with this kiddo, he showed substantial growth in his conversational skills and his ability to express himself in a way that others could understand him. Likewise, I learned more about flexibility and creativity. At that time, I used Uno and Jenga as visual supports to teach conversational skills. Over the years, I have implemented programs and developed curricula geared toward making social development fun. Due to my background in assessment and consultation, I used a structured approach in my work with clients. I often ask for details in terms of client backgrounds, day-to-day lives, worldviews, and social systems. Together, we determine tangible ways to measure progress, and I emphasize the need to generalize our work to “the real world.” I tend to work in a goal-directed way, and I ask my clients to take the lead in the goal-determination process. I operate under the mindset that we all have different profiles and learning styles. No one is perfect at absolutely everything. When I start working with new clients, I first determine where their skills are well-developed, where they could use a little practice/teaching, and where they need to advocate for help/support. I strongly believe in the power and importance of self-advocacy. To that end, I also focus on self-determination, self-awareness, and introspection.