.webp)
Katie Dashtban
About
Hello and welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. My name is Dr. G. Katie Dashtban. I am a clinical health psychologist and live bicostally in Northern California and Toronto Canada. Licensed to practice in both Ontario and California, I specialize in health psychology, pain management, and overall physical and emotional well-being. I am deeply passionate about supporting adults on the autism spectrum and those navigating co-occurring conditions; whether that includes chronic pain, health anxieties, burnout, or sensory and emotional stress.
As a clinician, my priority is creating a safe, compassionate, and neurodiversity-affirming space where you feel genuinely heard, validated, and respected. My goal is to partner with you using practical, evidence-based approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and TEAM-CBT, tailored to support how your mind and body naturally work. Together, we can honor your strengths, navigate co-occurring health challenges, and develop strategies that bring greater comfort, clarity, and resilience to your daily life.
My motivation for working with autistic adults stems from a deep respect for neurodiversity and a genuine desire to bridge the gap between different ways of experiencing the world. Throughout my practice as a health psychologist, I have seen how frequently neurodivergent individuals carry the heavy weight of feeling isolated, exhausted, or misconstrued in environments designed primarily for neurotypical norms.
I am deeply excited to help persons on the spectrum feel more at home when dealing with neurotypical people on a daily basis. Together, we work on practical strategies to help you learn to communicate your emotional needs; so you can protect against isolation and loneliness, and avoid being misunderstood by most. My commitment is to help you learn how to discuss your needs around social issues in a way that feels safe, natural, and comfortable to you.
I am consistently inspired by the unique perspectives, strengths, and resilience of the autistic community. By combining a compassionate, neurodiversity-affirming space with evidence-based health psychology, my goal is to support you in honoring your authentic self, building meaningful connections, and navigating life with confidence and clarity.
I bring an affirming, strengths-based approach to our work by starting with a fundamental principle: you are not something to be "fixed." Rather than focusing strictly on deficit-based models or challenges, I prioritize recognizing, honoring, and building upon your unique cognitive style, deep interests, and innate strengths.In our sessions, I partner with you to adapt evidence-based frameworks such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and TEAM-CBT so they fit seamlessly with how your mind and nervous system naturally process the world. We work together to identify what already brings you grounding, clarity, and fulfillment, using those core strengths to navigate sensory stress, health challenges, and social dynamics. My commitment is to provide a compassionate, non-pathologizing environment where you feel fully validated, empowered to advocate for your needs, and supported as you realize your full potential on your own terms.
