Charnell Widnall

In person (Tampa) and online (Florida)/$200 per session/Autistic Adults

My Story

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who exclusively supports neurodivergent adults, and the journey that led me here started when I was very young.

As a kid, I really wanted to blend in, but never figured out how to do so. At the start of every school year, I had new hopes to just fit in, and then well, I couldn’t. My laugh, the way I spoke, the way I interpreted situations all were different. Even though I did find people who appreciated me, I struggled to feel a sense of belonging. As an adult, I learned that I am autistic, and everything made sense. (I am also an ADHDer.)

With this insight, I began to embrace my own ways of being and to focus on building my unique qualities into strengths. In parallel to my counseling, I spend my days deep diving into neurodivergence. My quest is to understand how my clients and I can live our best lives in a world, as author Jenera Nerenburg writes, “not designed for you.” In brief, my special interest is learning about the diversity of the human experience and all the unique ways we can be.

My Education and Work Experience

I have a Masters degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from the University of South Florida. This degree prepared me for licensure and started me off on my career. However, the majority of my learning as a counselor has come from the training I have completed outside of this degree. Below are some of the trainings that have most deeply impacted my work as a counselor:

Internal Family Systems (IFS):

Level 2, comprehensive IFS training program, with Osnat Arbel (IFS Institute)
Level 1, comprehensive IFS training program, with Einat Bronstein (IFS Institute)
Healing Complex Trauma with Trauma-Informed IFS (Colleen West)
Stepping Stone, comprehensive IFS training program, with Derek Scott (IFS Canada)
Advanced Weekend, Deepening Your Core IFS Practice, with Derek Scott (IFS Canada)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT):

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 4-Day Bootcamp, with Dr. Steven Hayes and Dr. Kelly Wilson
ACT Immersion, with Dr. Steven Hayes

Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:

How to Treat OCD with I-CBT, with Catherine Goldhouse

Mindfulness and Meditation:

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), with Dr. Mo Edjlali (Mindful Leader)

Neurodiversity:

Autism Neurodiversity Training, with Dr. Joel Schwartz
Autism Level Up, with Dr. Amy Laurent and Dr. Jacquelyn Fede
AutPlay Therapy Training, with Dr. Robert Jason Grant
Working with Autistic Clients, with Dr. Nick Walker
Demystifying the Autism Spectrum and Autistic People, with Matt Lowry
PDA Training Program: Level 1, with PDA North America

Autism Assessment:

Migdas 2, with Dr. Marilyn J. Monteiro
ADOS 2, with Dr. Catherine Rice

My related work experiences include the following:

Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation: I worked with more than 100 neurodivergent teens and adults to help them transition from high school to college and/or from school to work.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor for Focus Academy: I supported the entire student population, many of whom were also autistic and had ADHD. I provided individual counseling for students and worked closely with their families.

License

I am licensed in the state of Florida to practice mental health counseling. My license number is: MH18278.

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