Dr. Panicha McGuire

01/08/2026

Missed the live? Now available for self-paced on our newly updated platform. Link in bio. Our courses are designed for everyone not just clinicians!

01/06/2026

Back-to-school can be especially hard for PDA kids.

If your child is melting down, shutting down, or refusing school after break, this is not laziness, manipulation, or “bad behavior.” For kids with a PDA (Pervasive Drive for Autonomy) profile, demands are processed by the nervous system as threat. Transitions, especially after holidays, can send their stress levels through the roof.

Instead of focusing on compliance, use nervous-system-informed ways to support your PDA child’s return to school with more safety, flexibility, and collaboration.

Save this for the first weeks back to school and share it with a parent who needs it.

12/16/2025

Meet Maggie Chen, MSW.

Maggie is an Associate Clinical Social Worker and is training to become a Registered Play Therapist. She brings a warm, thoughtful, and deeply affirming presence to her work with children ages 5+, teens, and young adults. Maggie has a special passion for supporting q***r, neurodivergent, and Asian American clients.

Maggie’s path to therapy is a fun one. She started her career as an environmental engineer serving marginalized communities, then realized her favorite part of the work was building relationships and supporting people. That led her to social work and public health, and we are very glad it did.

🪁FUN FACTS 🪁

✅ Maggie was a former LEGO store employee and lifelong LEGO enthusiast.
✅ She is a dedicated Bluey fan who has watched every episode multiple times and proudly owns Bluey pajamas.
✅ She enjoys video games like Pokémon, Stardew Valley, and Hollow Knight, and she loves puzzles, escape rooms, and cryptic crosswords.
✅ She tends an impressive collection of plants, fish, worms, and aquarium shrimp alongside her partner.

We are so excited to have Maggie on the Living Lotus Therapy team and cannot wait for the care, creativity, and joy she brings to our community!

12/12/2025

12/04/2025

✨ Final Community Workshop of 2025! ✨
When Love Speaks Different Languages: Neurodivergent Communication & Intimacy
Thursday, Dec 18 | 10am–12pm PST | Live on Google Meet
2 CEs included

Pay What You Can (including free).
No one is turned away.
Because mental health education should be accessible.

A neurodiversity-affirming workshop for ND folks, partners, clinicians, and anyone who wants to understand intimacy + communication through a neurodivergent lens.

Replay available for all registrants (must preregister).
Registration link in bio.

Share widely! Let’s make relationship education truly inclusive.

12/04/2025

✨ Final Community Workshop of 2025 ✨
When Love Speaks Different Languages: Neurodivergent Communication and Intimacy

Thursday Dec 18, 2025 10AM-12PM | Live on Google Meet
2 CEs are included at no additional cost for clinicians who need them.

All are welcome! ND adults, partners of ND folks, clinicians, helpers, international friends, and anyone who wants to understand intimacy, communication, and sexuality through an ND-affirming lens.

We’ll explore:
-How neurotype differences shape communication and misattunement
-Sensory-based intimacy, consent, and pacing
-Neuroq***r theory and its implications for relationships
-Navigating conflict when one partner shuts down and the other seeks connection
-Strengths-based tools for real-world ND partnerships

This space is grounded in accessibility, lived experience, and the belief that everyone deserves supportive, affirming relationship education.

No one is ever turned away for lack of funds. To keep our programs sustainable and reduce barriers for future offerings, a suggested donation of $40 is appreciated but not required.

If you or someone you support could benefit from a space that honors neurodivergent ways of loving, communicating, and connecting, I would be honored to have you join us.

Register here: https://livinglotustherapy.com/product/when-love-speaks-different-languages/

Please share widely! Community care grows when we share knowledge.

Drawing from autistic-led scholarship, current empirical research, and clinical practice, the course examines how divergent communication styles shape relational dynamics.

11/20/2025

11/20/2025

JOB OPENING (Ph.D. required)! The Department of Psychological Science at the University of Central Missouri ( https://www.ucmo.edu/psychology/ ) seeks to fill a nine-month, tenure-track assistant professor position beginning August 2026.

Applicants must have a PhD in Psychology from an accredited institution. Area of specialization is open, but candidates should be prepared to teach General Psychology, Research Methods and Statistics, and History of Psychology. They welcome applications from scholars who address topics relevant to access, opportunity, and community in their research and teaching/training. While advanced ABD candidates will be considered, completion of the doctoral degree is required by the start of the appointment. Additionally, applicants should demonstrate an interest in and ability to mentor students in research and professional development. Preferred qualifications include the ability to teach additional courses as needed by the program, as well as courses in the applicant’s area of specialty.

Salary and benefits are competitive. The standard teaching load is 9-12 credit hours/semester as assigned by the chair/dean based on the UCM faculty workload policy; opportunities to teach during the summer are available. Excellence in teaching, productivity in research, and service to the department, college, and university are required for promotion and tenure. Candidates should be able to express their commitment to UCM’s institutional values of community, diversity, excellence, learning, opportunity, and service.

UCM, located 35 miles southeast of the Kansas City metropolitan area, is a public comprehensive university with more than 11,000 students providing a small-college learning environment coupled with large-university opportunities. The Department of Psychological Science offers a B.S. and a B.A. degree in Psychology, as well as a minor in Psychology. Information about the department can be found at https://www.ucmo.edu/psychology/ .
To apply: Candidates must complete the online faculty profile (position #998468) by visiting https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/ucmo

Candidates should attach to the faculty profile a letter of application, curriculum vitae, copies of transcripts showing all completed degrees, a teaching statement (including evidence of teaching effectiveness), and a research statement outlining how the applicant plans to involve undergraduates in their research. Candidates should be prepared to submit three letters of recommendation, with at least one addressing their teaching ability.

Review of completed applications begins on January 15, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

UCM requires that all faculty applicants for this position complete the online faculty profile and submit it to the appropriate position for consideration at https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/ucmo . All documents requested for this position must also be attached to the faculty profile at the time of application. Only completed online faculty profiles with attached documents will be accepted for this position.

Direct inquiries regarding this position to: Dr. Katie Jacobs, Search Committee Chair at jacobs@ucmo.edu.

11/19/2025

Between OT, SLP, feeding therapy, ABA,and all the pressure to choose quickly, many parents end up confused and exhausted. You are not alone if you’ve been searching endlessly for answers.

The truth is that there is no single best therapy for every autistic child. What matters most is finding providers who respect your child’s neurology, support communication in all forms, avoid compliance-based models, and center emotional safety above everything else.

My latest blog breaks down what actually helps, what to avoid, and how to recognize neurodiversity-affirming care. If you’re trying to figure out what will truly support your child in a way that honors who they are, this one is for you.

Read the full blog at the link in my bio.

11/19/2025

A long while ago, I went back and forth with Psychology Today about an article I wrote on the Autism Industrial Complex. Unsurprisingly, it was not approved. So here is (Dr. Panicha’s version) that doesn't water it down.

This piece breaks down how autism has been turned into a marketplace, how autistic people often become the raw material for profit, and how global definitions of autism vary far beyond the narrow medical lens we are taught. I hope this piece brings a little disruption where it is needed.

Dr. Panicha critiques the intersection of autism and capitalism, illustrating how the Autism Industrial Complex commodifies autistic individuals for profit. The rise of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and the role of private equity further entrench this system, undermining the quality of care and re...

11/18/2025

If you have searched every corner of the internet trying to figure out the “best therapy” for your autistic child, you are not alone. So many parents end up overwhelmed by recommendations, opinions, and pressure from doctors, schools, family members, and well-meaning strangers.

Between OT, SLP, feeding therapy,“social skills,” and the ever-present push toward ABA, it can feel impossible to know what is actually helpful and what might cause harm. And the truth is, autistic kids do not all benefit from the same interventions.

I wrote a new blog post that breaks down what to be cautious about, how to identify neurodiversity-affirming therapies, and what to look for in a provider who understands autistic communication. It also includes guidance on avoiding compliance-based models. If you’re in that place of wanting to do right by your child but feeling lost in the noise, this one’s for you.

Dr. Panicha emphasizes that after an autism diagnosis, families often feel pressured to choose the right therapy. She advocates for understanding that autistic development varies and should respect each child’s individuality. Therapy should focus on communication, autonomy, and emotional well-bein...

11/16/2025

It’s been a long time coming. I ADHD’ed so hard that it took 5 years. But better now than never. Incredibly grateful for all the families who have spent time with me for this research study. And my co-author Alba Nino for her support and guidance. ☺️

Parenting autistic children often involves navigating unique relational and sensory needs within environments designed for neurotypical expectations. This phenomenological study explores how parents of autistic children experience and interpret attachment behaviors. Semi-structured interviews were c...