Unnecessary Hypotheticals Therapy PLLC.

03/23/2026

You’re doing your part.
You’re communicating, adjusting, trying to get it right.

And still—something feels off.

If you’re the one who keeps things together, it can start to feel like everything is yours to fix.
But not every dynamic is built on one person’s responsibility.

In therapy, we slow that down.

We look at:
what’s in your control
what isn’t
and what patterns might be keeping you stuck in over-responsibility

This isn’t about blame.
It’s about clarity.

Because when you can see the difference between what you’re carrying and what was never yours to hold— you stop over functioning… and start responding with intention.

If you’re ready to understand your patterns in a deeper way, I’m here to help.

— Michele Flores, LMFT Associate
Text BALANCE 210-709-3122

03/23/2026

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTkeVcnRc/

03/20/2026

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThoXXxF2/

03/20/2026

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThoXh3kt/

03/20/2026

**Therapy isn’t neutral—it’s shaped by who it was built for.**

Most approaches assume you can:
Visualize
Think abstractly
Interpret social nuance intuitively
Adapt quickly

But for many neurodivergent clients, that’s not the reality.

Autistic individuals may communicate in direct, pattern-based ways that are often misunderstood (Milton, 2012).
Clients with aphantasia don’t lack imagination—they process without mental imagery (Zeman et al., 2015).

So when therapy doesn’t “work,” the question isn’t always:
What’s wrong with the client?

It’s:
What assumptions is therapy making?

From a feminist perspective, this matters.

Because the same systems that define “appropriate” emotional expression also:
Pathologize difference
Reward compliance
And marginalize those who don’t fit

Women and marginalized populations are already more likely to be misdiagnosed or overlooked in autism research (Lai et al., 2015), while masking increases psychological strain (Hull et al., 2017).

So when a client is labeled “resistant,” it’s worth asking:

Is this resistance?
Or is it misalignment?

Neurodivergence doesn’t need to be corrected.
Therapy needs to evolve.

The issue isn’t the client. It’s the fit.

**REFERENCES**

Brown, L. S. (1994). Subversive Dialogues: Theory in Feminist Therapy. Basic Books.

Comas-Díaz, L. (2016). Cultural humility: Engaging diverse identities in therapy. American Psychologist, 71(2), 117–129.

Hull, L., Petrides, K. V., Allison, C., et al. (2017). “Putting on My Best Normal”: Social camouflaging in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47, 2519–2534.

Kapp, S. K., Gillespie-Lynch, K., Sherman, L. E., & Hutman, T. (2019). Deficit vs. difference models of autism. Autism, 23(1), 59–73.

Lai, M.-C., Lombardo, M. V., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2015). S*x/gender differences in autism. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 54(1), 11–24.

Milton, D. E. M. (2012). On the ontological status of autism: The “double empathy problem.” Disability & Society, 27(6), 883–887.

Stenhouse, L., Milner, R., & Bateman, A. (2016). CBT with autistic adults: Adaptations and challenges. Advances in Autism, 2(3), 138–148.

Walker, N. (2021). Neuroqueer Heresies. Autonomous Press.

Zeman, A., Dewar, M., & Della Sala, S. (2015). Lives without imagery: Congenital aphantasia. Cortex, 73, 378–380.

03/20/2026

03/10/2026

AI therapy... 🫣

03/09/2026

"I like your dress."

A simple compliment? Not always.

From a feminist psychology lens, even small interactions like this are shaped by gendered power dynamics and socialization:

* Women often decode intent and safety behind compliments, sometimes asking themselves, “Why me? What am I wearing?”

* Clothing can unintentionally become a justification men use to engage someone, even if attention isn’t wanted.

* This triggers automatic emotional labor—women assess boundaries, context, and potential risk in public spaces.

* Even well-meaning compliments are filtered through broader societal patterns of judgment, control, and patriarchal norms.

*What feels like a casual remark can actually reveal how gendered attention is negotiated in everyday life.

---

**💬 Discussion prompt:**
Have you ever thought about the “mental work” behind receiving a compliment? How does context change how you perceive it?

---
**References**

* Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. (1997). Objectification theory: Toward understanding women's lived experiences and mental health risks. *Psychology of Women Quarterly*, 21(2), 173–206.
* Bartky, S. L. (1990). *Femininity and Domination: Studies in the Phenomenology of Oppression*. Routledge.
* Fairchild, K., & Rudman, L. A. (2008). Everyday stranger harassment and women's objectification. *Social Justice Research*, 21(3), 338–357.
* Gavey, N. (2005). *Just S*x? The Cultural Scaffolding of R**e*. Routledge.
* Banyard, V. L., & Moynihan, M. M. (2011). Variation in women’s experiences of sexual assault: The role of clothing and social perception. *Journal of Interpersonal Violence*, 26(16), 3291–3311.

03/08/2026

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThvPY6ed/

03/05/2026

Thank you to the University of the Incarnate Word ( ) and for inviting me to participate in yesterday’s wellness event. I truly appreciate the opportunity to connect with your community, share resources, and have meaningful conversations about mental health and wellness.

Events like these help make mental health support more visible and accessible, and it was a pleasure meeting everyone who stopped by to say hello. Thank you again for the invitation and for prioritizing the well-being of your students and staff.

03/03/2026

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTh7jvHRC/

03/02/2026

**Language, Power, and Reclaiming Labels**

Educated, accomplished women are often judged differently for the same behaviors men are praised for.

**He’s direct → powerful**
**She’s direct → difficult**

This double standard shows up in everyday interactions and professional settings alike. It’s the same behavior, but different labels — and different consequences.

The punk band *Lambrini Girls* illustrate this in **“Cuntology 101”**, reclaiming a historically degrading label to celebrate autonomy, self-respect, and boundary-setting. When society criticizes a woman for traits praised in men, it reveals expectations and discomfort around female agency, not her character.

**Key takeaways:**

* Labels are rarely neutral; they enforce social norms.
* Reclaiming language empowers identity and reduces stigma.
* When a woman asserts boundaries, it exposes gendered expectations and who feels threatened by her agency.

**Clinical truth:** She’s not “difficult.” She’s owning her power.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=oFNfHp56CKg&si=gtwc09vaGyN76X9v