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Biography
Dr. Gaines is a counseling psychologist with over a decade of experience in clinical practice, specializing in assessment, as well as college-level psychology instruction. She is herself a late-identified autistic adult and has neurodivergent immediate family members. She is passionate about ensuring that accurate and neurodiversity-affirming information about autism is available and accessible for autistic individuals and others in their lives, as well as to broader society. She loves to focus on the many and varied strengths that autistic individuals have to offer to the world.
Education
PhD in Counseling Psychology from Texas Tech University
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Texas Tech University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of the South
Certifications
I am a licensed psychologist in the states of Alabama and Texas. I also have Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology, which allows me to practice telepsychology in all PSYPACT states.
Area of Expertise
Psychological Assessment
Adult Autism Assessment
Psychotherapy
Psychological Education
Modalities
Client-Centered
Mindfulness-Based
Cognitive-Behavioral
Neurodiversity-Affirming
Affiliations
Research and Publications
Gaines, M.V., Giles, C.L., & Morgan, R.D. (2013). The detection of feigning using multiple PAI scale elevations: A new index. Assessment, 20(4), 437-447. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191112458146
Gaines, M.V., Frederick, R.I., & Giles, C.L. (2009, March). Validating the SIRS using Mixed Groups Validation using the M-FAST as an estimator of base rate. In R.I. Frederick (Chair), Validating Tests without Criterion Groups [Symposium]. The American Psychology-Law Society, San Antonio, TX.
Gaines, M.V., Giles, C.L., Morgan, R.D., & Steffan, J. (2007, August). The combined use of the M-FAST and PAI in the detection of malingering among inmates [Poster presentation]. American Psychological Association, San Francisco, California
How to Regulate Your Nervous System: A Guide for Autistic Adults
It’s likely that you’ve heard of the fight, flight or freeze response, but have you heard about its balancing counterpart, rest-and-digest? Understanding the balance between these two processes in the body is crucial for improving nervous system regulation and stress management in autistic adults.
Autistic people often experience heightened or dysregulated nervous systems, especially in overwhelming environments. This can lead to chronic stress, shutdowns, meltdowns and sensory overwhelm. Addressing nervous system dysregulation can significantly improve quality of life, physical health, emotion regulation, sensory processing and mental health.
Mind-body practices are effective tools for nervous system regulation, helping shift the body out of the fight, flight or freeze response to a state of safety and calm (rest-and-digest). It is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new therapeutic techniques.
Understanding Interoception in Autism: A Guide to Sensory and Emotional Self-Regulation
Interoception, often described as the body’s “sixth sense,” is our ability to notice and interpret internal signals. It plays a key role in helping us understand how we feel both physically and emotionally.
For many autistic adults, interoceptive processing works differently. Some may feel signals intensely, while others barely notice them until they’re overwhelming. For example, you might feel your heartbeat pounding so strongly that it’s hard for you to focus, or you might not realize you're hungry until you feel shaky or irritable.
These differences can make it harder to identify needs, regulate emotions or explain what’s happening in your body—but they’re a natural part of the autistic experience.
By building interoceptive awareness, autistic individuals can develop strategies to better recognize and respond to internal cues and improve well-being.
Embracing Autism Acceptance Month: A Journey Towards Inclusion and Understanding
April is Autism Acceptance Month––a time to shift focus from mere autism awareness to genuine acceptance and inclusion of autistic individuals.
In 2011, the Autism Self-Advocacy Network, in collaboration with the autistic community, began commemorating Autism Acceptance Month instead of Autism Awareness Month since Autism Awareness Month centered on traditional narratives that emphasized deficits and championed the eradication of autism.
Autism Acceptance Month, however, offers a chance to embrace and celebrate the strengths and diversity of the autistic community. Autism acceptance advocates acknowledge autism as not just a diagnosis but an identity and a state of being. By prioritizing acceptance over awareness, we focus on the experiences of autistic individuals and allow for honest discussions of societal changes that may help alleviate some of the challenges faced by those individuals.
Instead of calling for cures and eradication, we celebrate how embracing neurodiversity enriches our society, encourages supportive environments and empowers autistic individuals to thrive as their authentic selves.