Velaris Psychological Services, PLLC

14/05/2025

New fave.

11/05/2025

Hey Spicy Mamas.

I see you. We're a different kind of tribe. We're not likely to be out to brunch on Mother's Day. And seeing posts from others might feel some type of way.

That's okay.

It's okay that you feel complicated, even seemingly contradictory, feelings. It's okay if you cried today. It's okay if you felt great today. It's okay if you yearned to hear, "I love you" but couldn't. It's okay if you chalked today up to "just another day."

Our society likes to create neat little boxes of experience. And when our existence has been a little too amorphous to fit inside any box, it's very normal to feel big feelings about that.

But you're an amazing mama. Even when you don't feel it.. even especially then. Because your values are aligned, but your support system and resources are limited.

Here's to the Spicy Mamas. Nurturing, loving, teaching, challening, defending, enriching, and protecting. 365.

09/05/2025

Curiosity is paramount to truly understanding what many behaviors desperately try to communicate.

23/04/2025

Things are feeling (and seeming) very uncertain. Parents and caregivers are worried. Practitioners are concerned. There's one person who seems quite confident and that might best be explained by the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

Just know that you're not alone.

Send a message to learn more

19/04/2025

Credit to Billy Frybread for this! Link to their page below:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077338287128

17/04/2025

Autism isn't a disease but willful ignorance sure is.

So is narcissistic personality disorder. You talk about something that ruins lives and destroys families - that.

This is a good place to start if you heard RFK's speech and felt some type of way about it: https://substack.com/home/post/p-161485895

There's also this: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2025/04/15/autism-rate-cdc-rfk-jr/83103821007/

And another: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-mental-health/202412/autism-is-not-a-trend?msockid=23c3e366bdfe66993c5df6f4bc676771

Some books:
“Unmasking Autism” - Devon Price, PhD
“Divergent Mind” - Jenara Nerenberg
“Neurotribes” - Steve Silberman

Decent starter pack there.

01/04/2025

Hello all!

Quick nod to Autism Acceptance Month. It's much more than just wearing blue. It's accommodating, elevating, paradigm shifting, listening, believing, and accepting.

Awareness and acceptance are great, but only so if they occur 365.2425 days/year.

But this year's acceptance is especially important given the sociopolitical chatter about ND. Outdated/redacted information in combination with fear mongering really do stand to put a kink in the progress we have been making as a People in understanding ND.

Knowledge is power.

03/03/2025

Highly recommend following Kristen McClure!

https://theadhdadvocate.substack.com/p/nothing-about-us-without-us-364?r=5ptrw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR27cVHWiMeZBmKRj33Al-wS86tW08v4UddsSptNs4cSGFJYNFnDM0W08_k_aem_2BEDtRwwFZw_z3Ywj6MBnw&triedRedirect=true

When policies, treatments, and research impact a specific community, the people most affected must have a seat at the decision-making table.

25/02/2025

Normalize differing social needs!

❤️❤️❤️

20/02/2025

Some clarity about autism.

No, vaccines don't cause autism. If desired, I'll link to myriad sources in the comments. Andrew Wakefield's falsified data has long been disproven, and his research was redacted from the journal that published it. He's a fraud.

50+ years of twin studies strongly support a genetic basis. As a professional evaluator and a parent, I can anecdotally echo this with gusto. Autism runs in families. It's biological diversity. Not a mistake that needs a cure.

Autism is a neurological wiring. A different system. One that has ubiquitous sensitivities that create strengths and struggles. The struggles are disproportionately caused by social systems. While some might "exist in a vacuum" this is relatively rare and the true disabilities are seen when a fish is expected to ride a bicycle.

Do you know why "autism diagnostic rates are soaring?" Because many practitioners decided to abandon their binoculars for a landscape view and realized the neurotype in front of them was vast, diverse, and versatile. Many people have a valid self-"diagnosis." I don't use this word as often as I use the word identity. Many people have realized their Autistic identity, which is a beautiful thing for many reasons. Not least of which - correcting the narrative that different does not equal less and can't does not equal broken.

While my rational mind struggles to make sense of why a neurotype would be politicized, I'm dysphorically reminded that diversity, over long amounts of time and by many different types of people, has been long a subject that bothers some. And rather than take a moment to live outside oneself, fear and discomfort win.

If you support the "Make America Healthy Again" Commission, I hope that, at the very least, you stay very well-attuned to the implications. I promise: you know a LOT of Autistic people, even if you don't realize it.

Megan Agee, LPA

03/12/2024

Please enjoy this roundtable discussion that some colleagues and I produced to help better support families during the holiday season.

Finding holiday joy and happiness in the holiday season PDA style. Members of The PDA Collaborative meet for a roundtable discussion.

02/12/2024

Co-regulation is a big deal in the PDA world. Really, the world of neurospiciness in general.

Body doubling is probably best known for its application in getting work like studying and projects done.

But your PDA'er is likely to need body doubling in many applications.

These can include eating, sleeping, hygiene, and entertainment, among others.

Hangry is a really terrible feeling. And knowing that our bodies are asking for food isn't as easy as it seems (interoception differences). Same for thirsty. I don't know about you, but I feel a panicky feeling if I don't have water with me.

You probably have co-slept or do co-sleep with your kiddo(s). It is what it is. Please allow yourself to trust your intuition and let the hysteria and opinions of others be just that. Sleep is one of the most basic of basic human needs. We can't expect ANY regulation from ANYONE without it. Sleep is a skill that is learned, and feeling safe and regulated in the process of sleep is pivotal to building healthy sleep hygiene for later in life.

Sensory differences can make hygiene a really hard piece. Can you brush your teeth together? The app Brush-Up can be fun and interactive, if your individual kiddos like that style. Dry shampoo and Lume wipes are a great backup to have.

Finding alternative methods of entertainment can be tricky. Screen time can be very regulating for some kids but not for all. We can't make blanket presumptions for individual needs. Movement is good, outside is good. Inside at home away from noise and bustle is good. Indoor playgrounds may have sensory times that might be more palatable. Outdoor parks, especially with swings or accessible equipment, can be great for meeting those proprioceptive needs.

As always, remember that our kids aren't giving us a hard time, they're having a hard time. They need a LOT of guidance from us to better understand themselves in a world that doesn't make sense to them.

Megan Agee, LPA