Not Your Cookie-Cutter Therapist: Why I Left the Old System and Built Something Real

Not Your Cookie-Cutter Therapist: Why I Left the Old System and Built Something Real

Let me tell you a not-so-secret secret: I didn't leave the traditional therapy world because I stopped believing in therapy.

I left because I believe in it too much to keep doing it the way they told me I had to.

The old system was squeezing the life out of something I knew could be powerful. It turned therapy into productivity metrics, symptom checklists, and endless insurance battles. It treated clients like numbers, therapists like machines, and healing like a one-size-fits-all worksheet.

And for neurodivergent clients? For those dealing with trauma, burnout, depression, parenting, or just being human?

It wasn't cutting it.

So I built something different. Something human.

What "Traditional" Therapy Gets Wrong (Especially for ADHD & Neurodivergent Folks)

Let's be real: most people don't need more advice on how to "just try harder."

They need support that meets them where they are- not in a beige office with a blank-stared therapist and a pre-written treatment plan titled "Coping Skills 101."

Here's what I saw too often in traditional therapy settings:

Clients were expected to fit into the model, not the other way around. There was little room for nuance. You either had a textbook diagnosis or you were "just stressed."

Therapists were discouraged from being human. No sharing, no humor, no personality- just nod, reflect, bill, repeat.

Neurodivergent clients were misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or given generic strategies that didn't work for their brains.

Making therapy accessible- financially, emotionally, and logistically- was not a priority.

I watched clients fall through the cracks. I watched other therapists burn out.

And I realized: if therapy's not working for real people, we don't need more sessions. We need a better system.

So I Burned It Down (And Rebuilt Something Better)

I didn't want to play the role of "robotic note-taker in a cardigan."

I wanted to be the kind of therapist I always needed: honest, present, and real.

Now? My practice does things differently. Here's how:

We're Flexible AF

• You can do therapy in-person, video, or by phone

• Need to text instead of call? Cool. Executive dysfunction is real

• Can't pay upfront? Let's make a plan. We accept Care Credit, offer payment options, and won't shame you for needing support

You're a Person, Not a Diagnosis

• We don't believe in cookie-cutter treatment plans

• We get to know you- your patterns, your strengths, your chaos

• We help you build systems that fit your life, not an imaginary "ideal client"

We Lead with Humanity

• I will probably make you laugh in session

• I will definitely drop the occasional f-bomb

• I will always be honest, kind, and here to hold space for all of it- even the parts you think are "too much"

We're Neurodivergent-Affirming

Whether you're diagnosed with ADHD, wondering if you might be, or just tired of trying to do things the "right" way and still feeling behind- we get it.

• We don't expect linear progress or perfectly completed homework

• We expect you to be human. And we'll meet you there

What Clients Say They Feel Here (That They Didn't Feel Elsewhere)

• "I don't feel judged."

• "You actually get how my brain works."

• "This feels like a real conversation, not a checklist."

• "I finally feel safe being myself."

That's the goal. That's the whole damn point.

Why the Practice Is Different, Too

It's not just me. The whole team here operates with the same values:

We're human-first, therapist-second. We stay educated on trauma-informed, inclusive, and affirming care. We hate the old-school gatekeeping energy just as much as you do.

We believe healing is collaborative, creative, and sometimes very, very messy.

We don't want you to feel like you're just "checking a box" by going to therapy. We want you to feel supported, seen, and- maybe for the first time- understood.

So If You've Felt Like:

• Therapy isn't for people like you

• You've tried it and it felt cold or confusing

• You were just another intake form in a pile

• Or you need a space where your chaos isn't just tolerated, it's honored...

You're not alone. And you're not asking too much.

You just haven't had therapy that was built for you yet.

We're doing things differently. And if that sounds like what you've been looking for?

We're here.

Christina Parise, LCSW is the founder of Clear Mind Counseling and a self-proclaimed Chaos Wrangler and Anti-Beige Energy Specialist. Ready to experience therapy that actually gets you?

Contact us today

to schedule your first session.

Not Your Cookie-Cutter Therapist: Why I Left the Old System and Built Something Real