Therapy for ADHD & Neurodiverse Children and Teens in Pasadena

with Erin Gauvin, LCSW

When a capable kid is having a harder time than expected

Neurodivergent kids often experience the world a little differently and sometimes much more intensely.

A child can be intelligent, creative, funny, and capable while also struggling with executive functioning, emotional regulation, impulsivity, rejection sensitivity, transitions, social situations, or expectations that seem easy for everyone else.

For bright and high-performing children especially, ADHD and other neurodivergent traits can be easy to miss. Strong academics can hide the enormous amount of effort it takes to stay organized, manage emotions, remember responsibilities, navigate friendships, or simply get through the day.

Therapy gives kids a place to better understand how their brain works while building practical strategies that work with their brain rather than constantly fighting against it.

  • Sensory or emotional overwhelm

  • Social misunderstandings or friendship challenges

  • Feeling “different” from peers

  • Anxiety alongside ADHD or neurodivergence

  • Perfectionism that masks executive functioning difficulties

  • Low self-esteem after frequent correction

  • Feeling capable but frustrated by things that seem like they “should” be easier

  • ADHD or executive functioning challenges

  • Emotional flooding or intense reactions

  • Difficulty shifting between activities

  • Impulsivity

  • Rejection sensitivity

  • Trouble starting or completing tasks

  • Losing or forgetting things

  • Difficulty managing school responsibilities

Your Child Might Be Struggling With

I approach neurodivergence from a strengths-based perspective. The goal of therapy isn't to make a child less neurodivergent. It's to help them understand themselves, build skills where they are struggling, and develop confidence in navigating a world that may not always fit the way their brain works.

Depending on your child's needs, we may work on emotional regulation, executive functioning, anxiety, cognitive flexibility, rejection sensitivity, self-advocacy, communication, or social and family challenges.

For children, that work often happens through games, art, problem-solving activities, and creative exercises rather than simply sitting and talking for an hour.

I also work closely with caregivers. Sometimes the most meaningful change happens when we adjust expectations, routines, communication, or the way adults respond to challenging moments at home.

How I Help

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Think We’d Be a Good Fit?

  • 1. Reach Out

    Fill out my contact form or send me an email with a little information about what you're looking for.

  • 2. Let's Talk

    We'll schedule a brief consultation to talk about your concerns, answer questions, and see whether working together feels like a good fit.

  • 3. Get Started

    If we decide to move forward, we'll begin with an assessment and create a plan based on your child's strengths, challenges, and your family's goals.

About Me

My name is Erin. I’m a child and family therapist based in South Pasadena helping families across the country feel supported and strong.

Many of the families I work with have children who are bright, creative, highly sensitive, or high-achieving. These are often the kids who look like they are doing well from the outside while quietly struggling with anxiety, perfectionism, or pressure to succeed. I enjoy helping these kids build confidence and resilience while also supporting caregivers in understanding the challenges that may not always be visible.

I also know this kind of child as an insider. I was a high-performing, highly sensitive kid myself: academically driven, deeply involved, hard on myself, and drawn to both achievement and creativity. I understand the strengths that can come with being a driven, capable child, and I also understand how easily pressure, sensitivity, and self-expectation can become heavy.

Professionally, I’ve spent more than a decade in mental health and seven years working explicitly as a clinician with children and families. Before opening my private practice, my work took place across many settings: schools, hospitals, prisons, shelters, encampments, family homes, and intensive medical environments. Those experiences taught me that children and families are never just one thing: a child can be successful and anxious, gifted and overwhelmed, sensitive and strong, capable and still in need of care. I bring the full range of my clinical background into my work, but I also bring a deep belief that most serious dilemmas can be navigated with clarity, creativity, and companionship.

Outside of therapy, I’m an amateur cook with an inexplicable affinity for home repairs, reading, and wandering through used bookstores. My wife and I live in South Pasadena and enjoy exploring LA, trying new restaurants, and spending time with friends and family.

Availability

I worth with children from the ages of 7 through 18 and their families. I meet with people via telehealth who live in the state of California. Please inquire about in-person therapy opportunities for families living in Northeast LA area.


I’m additionally licensed in the states of Arizona, Washington, and Tennessee, and I’m able to work with families in these states.

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  • Master of Science in Social Work, University of Tennessee- Knoxville, Certificate in Trauma Treatment

  • Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Arizona State University

  • Practicum at Vanderbilt University Psychiatric Hospital

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California #115370, Arizona # 21304, Washington #61589071, and Tennessee #8781

  • Certification in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

  • Certification in Perinatal Mental Health, Postpartum Support International

  • Bringing Home Baby Educator Training, Gottman Institute

  • Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) Training, by Dr. Eli Lebowitz of the Yale Child Study Center

  • Member of WPATH

Education, Certifications, and Trainings

Ready to start?