Rachel Rouse Counseling, PLLC

Rachel Rouse Counseling, PLLC Providing psychotherapy and play therapy for children, adolescents and adults

03/14/2026

Many more boys than girls are diagnosed on the autism spectrum: more than four boys for every autistic girl, according to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control. Researchers point togenetic differences. But clinicians and researchers have also come to realize that many “higher functioning” autistic girls are simply missed. They’ve been termed the “lost girls” or “hiding in plain sight” because they’re overlooked or diagnosed late. They don’t fit the stereotypes or their symptoms are misinterpreted as something else. And they may be better at hiding the signs, at least when they’re young.

For more detailed information, visit https://childmind.org/article/autistic-girls-overlooked-undiagnosed-autism/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22425769820&gbraid=0AAAAADxqHB-BX_yRZ7Y3h9OXgR9ZNDSJA&gclid=CjwKCAjwjtTNBhB0EiwAuswYhtB-_lk15CiXBk17lALzpsv6J-wQFQ13Z8RXRuXFMv9H09ySw50PAxoCjZ8QAvD_BwE

Image .ie ❤️

03/07/2026

Is it Dysgraphia, ADHD, or both?

High-quality writing depends on handwriting , spelling, working memory, and executive function, which are often challenging for children with ADHD. Evidence supports that children with ADHD often have specific difficulties in written expression that include :

*Poor overall legibility
*Poor organization of written material within the space available
*Poor spacing within and between words
*Inconsistent letter size and shape
*Poor margin alignment
*Frequent erasures
*Pressured writing
*Difficulty spelling
*Lack of capitals and punctuation
*Frequent omissions of letters or words
*Difficulties in planning/organizing ( idea generation, what they want to write)
*Problems organizing thoughts, prioritizing, and sequencing
*Poor speed of output

For helpful interventions for students with ADHD experiencing handwriting problems, visit: https://ot4adhd.com/2022/08/12/adhd-and-written-expression/

03/05/2026

Dyscalculia is a lifelong, neurodevelopmental learning disability affecting a person's ability to understand, process, and remember number-based information, math facts, and calculation procedures. It is often called "math dyslexia," affecting 3-7% of people, and is typically diagnosed via psychoeducational evaluations. Symptoms include poor number sense, difficulty counting/telling time, and slow mental math.

Image Understood.org ❤️

03/03/2026

🧠 Autism is a *pattern* of differences, and not just one or two things. We often recognize and diagnose kids who externalize their emotions and differences, while missing or underdiagnosing kids who are internalizers. These kids often hide or minimize their traits and “fly under the radar” because they are “good.”

Want to learn more about the patterns of differences associated with Autism? Comment Autism ⤵️ and I’ll send you a FREE list of traits ♾️

👋🏼 If this post describes your child, it does not automatically mean your child is Autistic, because most of these listed aren’t core traits, but are often a result of hiding or masking core traits.

With that said, kids described in this picture would absolutely benefit from clinical evaluation, and support (anxiety and autism or both is the likely diagnosis).

03/03/2026

ADHD in women frequently presents with inattentive, internal symptoms rather than outward hyperactivity, often leading to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis with anxiety/depression. Key traits include chronic disorganization, forgetfulness, emotional dysregulation, hyperfocus, and intense internal mental chaos. Women often "mask" their symptoms, leading to exhaustion.

Image Coaching With Brooke ❤️

02/27/2026

Gifted anxiety refers to the emotional distress that often accompanies advanced cognitive abilities in children. These kids think deeply and feel even more deeply. Their brains work quickly—but their emotional regulation doesn’t always keep up.

This mismatch—known as asynchronous development—makes them more prone to anxiety.

What Are the Signs of Gifted Anxiety?
Gifted kids may not always show anxiety in ways adults expect. Instead, you might see refusal, over-preparation, meltdowns, or even withdrawal.

Common signs include:

Perfectionism – Avoiding tasks for fear they won’t be done “perfectly”
Overthinking – Constantly being stuck in analysis mode
Sensory sensitivities – Easily getting uncomfortable to noise, light, or textures
Social maladaption – Struggling to make or keep friends (Papandreou et al., 2023)
Sleep issues – Difficulty falling or staying asleep

Gifted anxiety isn’t caused by one thing—it’s a layered experience driven by how their brains and bodies interact with the world.

Here’s what we often see:

Psychological and physiological overexcitabilities – Gifted kids often have heightened sensory processing. I’ve had kids describe school like a "volume dial stuck on high." Bright lights, loud noises, and even certain smells can feel overwhelming.
Perfectionism and high expectations – Many gifted children set impossibly high standards. They’d rather not try than fail. And when they don’t meet their own expectations? The shame and anxiety can spiral fast.
Deep rumination and hyper-awareness – Gifted kids often replay events, overthink conversations, and obsess over big ideas (like death or climate change) far earlier than most peers.
Social disconnect or isolation – They may feel different from peers, leading to loneliness, or they avoid situations where they might be judged or not excel.
One study found that around 20% of individuals with high intelligence report anxiety disorders—often at greater intensity than the general population (Karpinski et al., 2018).

These traits aren’t deficits—but without support, they can make life more overwhelming for a gifted child.

For more information, please visit .com ❤️

02/25/2026

Anxiety is a natural response to stress, but chronic, excessive, and uncontrollable worry that disrupts daily life may indicate an anxiety disorder. Caused by a mix of genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental factors like trauma, it causes symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, restlessness, and insomnia. Common types include Generalized Anxiety Disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety, which affect the brain’s amygdala, causing it to react to threats.

Image Depression Project ❤️

02/24/2026

For excellent information on ADHD, follow Coaching With Brooke❤️

02/22/2026

Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition that affects the way people feel about themselves and others, making it hard to function in everyday life. It includes a pattern of unstable, intense relationships, as well as impulsiveness and an unhealthy way of seeing themselves. Impulsiveness involves having extreme emotions and acting or doing things without thinking about them first.

People with borderline personality disorder have a strong fear of abandonment or being left alone. Even though they want to have loving and lasting relationships, the fear of being abandoned often leads to mood swings and anger. It also leads to impulsiveness and self-injury that may push others away.

Borderline personality disorder usually begins by early adulthood. The condition is most serious in young adulthood. Mood swings, anger and impulsiveness often get better with age. But the main issues of self-image and fear of being abandoned, as well as relationship issues, go on.

If you have borderline personality disorder, know that many people with this condition get better with treatment. They can learn to live stabler, more-fulfilling lives.

Adverse childhood experiences may contribute to the development of borderline personality disorder. Common negative experiences may include, but aren’t limited to, the following:

*Neglect
*Physical and/or sexual abuse
*Removal, separation or loss of a caregiver, parent or loved one
*Traumatic event

In some cases, the parts of your brain responsible for emotion and behavior may have trouble communicating as expected. This could lead to BPD symptoms. (Mayo Clinic ❤️)

02/20/2026

Even though OCD and autism are distinct conditions, they can co-occur. Research suggests that up to 17% of autistic people also have OCD, much higher than in the general population. However, having one condition doesn’t automatically mean you have the other. Each condition comes with its own challenges, and when they overlap, the experience can be unique from having just OCD or just autism.

For example, someone with both OCD and autism might struggle with intense routines but feel unsure whether it comes from a need to relieve anxiety (OCD) or a strong preference for sameness and predictability (autism).

According to April Kilduff, LCPC, LMHC, LPCC, LPC, an autistic NOCD therapist, not all repetitive behaviors are compulsions. “For autistic individuals, routines and repetitive actions can be comforting, not distressing,” she explains. “The key is understanding whether a behavior is done to relieve anxiety (OCD) or as a form of self-regulation (autism). That distinction matters when creating a treatment plan.”

For children with both OCD and autism, this distinction can be even harder to spot. Parents may need professional guidance to differentiate between behaviors driven by anxiety and those that are simply part of their child’s neurodivergent way of engaging with the world. ( ❤️)

02/19/2026

Thank you, The Contented Child, Child Wellbeing Consultancy! ❤️

Address

418 Eureka Street
Weatherford, TX
76086

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+18064388919

Website

http://www.rachelrousecounseling

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rachel Rouse Counseling, PLLC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category