Whole-Person Support
Autism
Thoughtful psychiatric support for children, teens, and adults on the autism spectrum — with care for the whole family, not just a diagnosis.
Quick Answer
Autism spectrum conditions affect social communication, behavior, and sensory processing, and often co-occur with anxiety, ADHD, or mood challenges. At Haven Wellness, we provide psychiatric evaluation and support focused on managing co-occurring conditions and improving daily functioning for autistic patients and their families.
Understanding Autism
Care Built Around Your Specific Experience
Autism is a spectrum for a reason — no two patients we see present the same way. Some come to us as young children with developmental differences their pediatrician flagged; others are teenagers or adults who have masked their way through years of school and work before finally getting answers.
Our role at Haven Wellness isn't to change who a person is — it's to help identify and treat the co-occurring conditions that often accompany autism, like anxiety, ADHD, irritability, or sleep disruption, and to support families in understanding what's happening and what actually helps.
Signs & Symptoms
- —Differences in social communication or reading social cues
- —Strong preference for routine and distress with unexpected change
- —Sensory sensitivities to sound, light, texture, or touch
- —Intense, focused interests or repetitive behaviors
- —Co-occurring anxiety, ADHD symptoms, or irritability
- —Delayed diagnosis in adults who developed strong coping/masking strategies
Our Approach
How We Treat Autism at Haven
For children and adolescents, evaluation typically includes developmental history, behavioral observation, and coordination with schools or existing developmental specialists. Dr. Rachel McKenna's board certification in child and adolescent psychiatry means she's specifically trained to evaluate these patterns rather than treating autism as an adult-focused checklist applied to a child.
For adults seeking a first-time evaluation, we take a thorough history that looks back at childhood patterns as well as current functioning — because autism doesn't appear in adulthood, it's simply recognized later.
Treatment focuses on the specific challenges affecting quality of life: medication for co-occurring anxiety, ADHD, or irritability when appropriate, sensory-informed appointment scheduling, and referrals to occupational therapy, speech therapy, or ABA providers when that additional support is the right fit. We keep families closely involved in the plan at every step.
How It Works
Your Path to Treatment
Comprehensive Evaluation
A detailed clinical interview and diagnostic review — never a rushed checklist — to understand your specific pattern of symptoms.
Personalized Care Plan
A treatment plan built around your history, goals, and preferences, which may include medication, referrals, or lifestyle strategies.
Careful Management
Close follow-up in the early weeks of any new treatment to fine-tune the plan and monitor how you're responding.
Ongoing Support
Your care continues beyond the first visit, with regular check-ins as your needs evolve over time.
Individual Care
Related Psychiatry Services
Explore focused information about other conditions and psychiatric services available at Haven.
Common Questions
Autism FAQ
Can adults be diagnosed with autism for the first time?
Yes. Many adults, especially women, were missed as children because they developed strong masking strategies. A thorough history-based evaluation can provide clarity later in life.
Does Haven Wellness treat autism itself, or the conditions around it?
Our psychiatric care focuses on evaluating co-occurring conditions like anxiety, ADHD, and mood symptoms, and coordinating with developmental specialists for core autism supports like therapy.
Are appointments adjusted for sensory needs?
Yes — let our team know about sensory sensitivities when scheduling, and we'll adjust the visit accordingly, from timing to environment.
Take the First Step Toward Healing
Our team is here to listen, evaluate, and guide you with compassionate, personalized psychiatric care for autism — in-person in St. Petersburg or via telemedicine anywhere in Florida.