Cassandra Miasnikov (She/They)

Are you exhausted from getting brushed off by medical providers because you don’t look autistic? Have you been told there’s “nothing they can do” or you’re too “old” for help? But you’re still struggling with tasks like hygiene, going grocery shopping, or feeling lonely? We’ll work together to help you & your loved ones recognize the ”rumbling” stages of meltdowns and shutdowns, collaboratively identify and advocate for supports, & develop emotional regulation strategies to help you thrive.

Does your brain seem to oscillate between overstimulated and understimulated? Are you sick of getting brushed off by medical providers because you’re an adult, or because you’re not struggling ”enough” in school, or because they gave you medication (or didn’t) and kicked you out the door? Together, we’ll help you better understand your needs, collaboratively identify and advocate for supports, & develop emotional regulation strategies to help you thrive.

Are you sick of the stigma around bipolar disorders and feeling buried by misinformation? Are you exhausted and nervous about when a depressive, manic, or hypomanic episode might start? Together, we’ll help you better understand your unique triggers, explore psychoeducation on bipolar disorders, collaboratively identify and advocate for supports, & develop emotional regulation strategies to help you thrive.

Do you wish your brain would pause for a minute so you could breathe? Are you sick of people telling you, “calm down,” and “don’t stress so much, it’s bad for you,” like that doesn’t make it worse? You’re not alone. We’ll work together to help you develop a healthier relationship with your anxiety, gently retrain your brain, collaboratively identify and advocate for supports, & develop emotional regulation strategies to help you thrive.

Attachment theory helps us explore what it means to have happy, healthy relationships—with ourselves and with others. We’ll work together to explore and better understand your attachment style (secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized). In my practice, I use this theory to help you understand your relationship patterns and how early experiences might affect your behavior today. By building secure connections in therapy, I help you create healthier relationships and a stronger sense of self.

Play therapy is highly effective for building self-esteem, developing social skills, & developing personal strengths. I’ve used Dungeons & Dragons in group therapy for over a year to help clients explore who they want to be, build self-esteem, practice assertiveness, & improve emotional regulation. Role-playing games help players of all ages cultivate communication skills, develop leadership and problem-solving skills, and explore parts of themselves they can’t always access daily.

Many people lose touch with their values as they age, or are so busy trying to survive that they don't get time & space to develop personal values at all. I use ACT to help clients understand and live in line with their personal values, take action toward meaningful goals, and improve self-esteem. By accepting difficult feelings rather than shaming yourself, you can create a more fulfilling, meaningful life that's uniquely yours.