Autistic Counselling Services

AUTISM COUNSELLING IN CHORLTON, MANCHESTER AND ONLINE

CALL 07983269998
CONTACT ME BY EMAIL

Autism Counselling in Chorlton, Manchester and Online

Helping you to understand yourself and the world better.

Welcome, and thank you for visiting my website. My name is Michelle Keifer and I am a counsellor specialising in therapy for neuro-divergencies such as Autism and ADHD.

Therapy in a safe, comfortable and private setting

I work in a psychoeducational approach to help you understand what autism/ADHD and other neuro-divergencies (ND) mean so that you can live kinder, more fulfilling lives. Each ND person is different, but there are many recognisable similarities. If you haven't heard of the word Alexithymia, this will be a revelation.

Individuals have difficulty matching their emotional responses to when they happened, so they can't verbalise or mentalise them in real time.

One of the outcomes is that other people often judge you, saying you are not empathic or caring enough when the opposite is usually more accurate, that you care too much.

CONTACT

With my vast experience working with autistic people and disabilities, my own life experiences, and those of my family, I feel I can offer you the opportunity to understand yourself much better. Together, we can replace old coping mechanisms that might not work so well anymore with new, more robust, and transferable tools for life.

bench by the sea

I will help you understand your needs and how to make reasonable adjustments. The outcome is to build your confidence enough to self-advocate. In my professional and personal experience, NDs usually carry a lot of trauma, and then life becomes very trauma-informed.

I will help you understand your trauma and how best to acknowledge and work with that. Making space to use some of the new techniques I hope to introduce to you. I want to help you make sense of your life and how to live it better. Families also benefit from understanding ND better, so our work together often leads to improved relationships.

About Me

I have always believed people need time and space to process their world. At the age of 47, I was diagnosed with Autism as well as Dyslexia. I discovered this during my postgraduate counselling work in 2012 at The University of Manchester, where I completed a PGDip in Counselling. I later completed a PGcert in the Diagnosis of Autism and Aspergers with Professor Luke Beardon at Sheffield Hallam University in 2020. I work in a humanistic and person-centred approach with goal setting where appropriate. My life experience has also led me to work in disability access, being a wheelchair user myself. I also work with clients who experience physical disabilities.

BACP logo for Michelle Keifer Counsellor
Michelle Keifer Counsellor in Chorlton, Manchester

I have a wealth of information to share for you to delve into at your own pace.

Neurodiversity is rarely just one thing; I can help you explore your ND makeup and advise you about possible diagnoses.

CONTACT
therapy dog

I work with Quinn, my dog, who provides a soothing, furry therapeutic experience. But don't worry if you want to come in person but are not into therapy dogs; we can use another room without Quinn. Feel free to ask me any questions about Quinn.

CONTACT

What issues can I help with?

People come to me for help with a wide range of problems. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through counselling:

Feelings of stress or anxiety

Panic attacks

Relationship problems

Grief, loss or bereavement

Problems with addiction

Trauma and post-traumatic stress

Abuse

Depression

Problems with confidence or self-esteem

Anger management

Issues relating to sexuality

Difficulties at work or in retirement

Problems with family or school life

Client Testimonials

"Before meeting Michelle, I had several unhelpful attempts at counselling; however, I instantly felt at ease with her approach. Nothing is done at too fast a pace, and I felt comfortable with her guidance and expertise. She is really knowledgeable about autism and its effects whilst also being very patient and understanding. It feels amazing to finally feel like someone ‘gets' me and the things I’ve faced without any judgment whatsoever.

After only a few sessions, she has already given me a lot of insight into things about my Autistic brain that I hadn’t understood before and how it has led to me being misunderstood but also how it can be an amazing difference that can help me to thrive. I look forward to the sessions as she helps me understand the world better and provides the perfect environment for it… Her fluffy companion, Quinn, the therapy dog, is also lovely."

"In the past, I feel that although therapy with neurotypical therapists has been useful, it has always felt like something has been missing that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

After being diagnosed with autism, I decided to look for a therapist who truly understood neurodiversity. With Michelle, it feels like nothing is missing from the therapeutic experience - her knowledge of and experience with autism has been vital to the therapy. I would encourage all neurodivergent people looking for therapy to engage with a therapist in this context.

Michelle has been brilliant - I feel like together, we have made more progress in the last few months than I could possibly have imagined."

"Over the past year, Michelle has not only helped me understand and accept my autism diagnosis but has helped me learn to live my life in a way that works for me. Before working with Michelle, I was trying to live a neurotypical life, causing excessive burnout and fatigue. Michelle has helped me understand how to live more "Autistically", which has hugely increased my quality of life. Michelle also helped me through the entire pip application process, which I found too overwhelming to approach on my own.

It is so refreshing to work with a therapist who not only has an extensive knowledge of autism but also has first-hand experience and understanding. It’s also a bonus to never worry about making eye contact(!) "

"Michelle gave me invaluable support while I was waiting for my assessment and helped me understand my diagnosis when I eventually got it. She successfully supported me through very difficult autism-related work situations and helped me to claim benefit entitlement. I had seen other counsellors before, but I was unable to connect with them at all. Now, in my work with MIND, I signpost people to Michelle."

"Before meeting Michelle, I had a few attempts at counselling, none of which were successful. I felt that the counsellors didn’t really understand me. Michelle was different. She has a fantastic knowledge of neurodiversity and the difficulties that can occur in day-to-day life. Since I’ve been having sessions with Michelle, I feel like I recognise what autism is for me and how to navigate through life. She has helped me to see autism as a positive and something that is a part of who I am. Thank you!"

"Michelle has been a wonderful counsellor to me. She is honest, empathetic, thoughtful, and extremely knowledgeable about autism. She has been instrumental in helping me to understand myself better, build my confidence, and navigate a neurotypical world. She has gone above and beyond to provide me with help and support, for which I am exceedingly grateful. She always responds promptly to messages, does what she says she will, and acts with honesty and transparency. I will be forever grateful to her for the help and support she has given me. I’d recommend her enthusiastically to anyone with autism looking for an understanding and skilled counsellor."

My location

28 Grindley Avenue, Chorlton, Manchester M21 7NF

I offer counselling from my practice based in Chorlton, South Manchester in person and online nationally or internationally.

I have disabled access to my home office and the nearest tram stop is 10 mins walk. I am also happy to work over the phone.

Fees & availability

Sessions are one hour long. I take notes during sessions, and you are free to see these at any point. My fees are £75 per hour. I also work with a local charity, and reduced fees are available there (please enquire for details).

If you need to cancel or reschedule, please give at least 24 hours' notice; otherwise, I charge 50% of my fee. I try to work as flexibly as possible to suit ND requirements. After each session, I will email you an invoice with payment details. Payment by bank transfer is usual, but I also accept cash.

Get in touch

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment.

Once an appointment has been booked, I will send you an agreement and an information sheet to complete and return; this can also be completed in the first session.


You can also call me on 07983269998 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.


All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.

© Autistic Counselling Services | Powered by WebHealer