ane (ax) axford, LMFT, CHt
Attachment-Based Neurodivergent Psychedelic Specialist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Sensory Sensitive Leadership Consultant, Clinical Supervisor
Chatham NY
I provide very directive, supportive, collaborative work to hold space for your sense of self to unfold and develop so that you can make decisions for your life based in your interests rather than based in only survival. You may be experiencing autoimmune health issues, chronic anxiety and compulsive people-pleasing or fawning behavior as a way to manage overwhelm and burnout in your body that has not been held or attuned with. This is the space for that experience to be held and believed and attuned with so that you can move forward with your own development rather than live only as a passive object for others. Your subjectivity is real and we can hold it, together. Psychedelics allow for access to your bodily states through a suppression of your default mode of operating and defenses that may normally suppress your self emergence based on attachment and identity traumas you may have experienced. They provide access in ways nothing else I have seen can for neurodivergent folks with complex trauma. I work somatically with parts, neurobiology, and altered states to directly engage your body.
Many people do not realize that autism, ADHD, OCD, or sensory processing sensitivity, executive functioning differences and challenges, perfectionism or obsessive compulsive thoughts and behaviors, all can coincide with common autoimmune, connective tissue, circulatory, gender, identity, and other physical health differences and that they are genetic. This work is about not just changing the way you think, it is about believing your body and supporting it so that you actually meet your needs for the first time. Not meeting your needs will make you ill. Some of the tricky parts about how neurodivergent brains work means that they are more likely to mask their bodily symptoms and try to address them through intrusive thoughts and compulsive behavior rather than care. Disabled, imperfect, real human bodies need accommodations, not punishment and not control. Needs and wants based ways of living through shared power are possible. It starts with us. I share power with myself and with you and show you how to share power too.
I go by ax and have been working with genetically sensory sensitive clients, neurodivergent folks with genetic variants, for over 20 years as a licensed systems therapist. Working systemically means that I am socioculturally attuned to how our personal experiences exist in context and not in isolation. I work with change at many levels and do not focus on learning how to cope with systems that erase your existence. I do focus on how your existence can be supported amidst complex harmful systems and use harm reduction to work with you where you are. I know that therapy is a radical form of resistance and I value the ways I get to witness humans living up to their unique challenges with heart and integrity. I work with people who I want to see leading in the world in any way, at any scale. I have a silly sense of humor and find comedy to be healing. I grew up in a high demand religion or cult that shaped a lot about how I think about power and sense of self in social contexts, and the immense importance of attachment as a means to have space to develop a sense of self. I am gender non-conforming, queer, and neurodivergent. I grew up in a family of neurodivergent genetics that showed me a lot about how I conceive of what it means to be human, especially related to ableism and cultures that purport to advocate for health. I work with nuance and complexity related to trusting that your life is to be lived and you are the only one who can live it. I am collaborative and direct. I use my sensory sensitivity to tune into all that is present, not just in words. I personally benefit immensely from and have a vast experience with psychedelic use as spiritual, physically medicinal, and therapeutic related to trauma and my own self development. I appreciate movement, dance, music, vibration, writing, art, and spending time in the trees with my dogs and kid in upstate NY.
I do 1-1 work as well as small group and relational work with ketamine assisted therapy. I generally recommend starting with 2-4 ketamine assisted sessions and that can be expanded to 8-10 sessions or ongoing work together. Ketamine assisted sessions are 2-3 hours in length to have time to check in before and after the ketamine experience as well as work together during the ketamine usage.
I also offer one-hour or 90-minute sessions to integrate and do psychotherapy work that does not utilize ketamine during the session. I meet in person in Spencertown, NY and also virtually. I work with some insurances and also private pay.
I start the process of working together with a free 20-30 minute consultation to explore what this may look like, answer questions, and share my recommendations on the process. >>> Click the purple box above to contact me and schedule a free consultation. <<<
I work with Journey Clinical to prescribe ketamine, and you are welcome to check them out at JourneyClinical.com, or we can use any prescriber you prefer. I am collaborative and work with what works for you.
Ketamine as a psychedelic medicine lasts for about an hour once taken sublingually. I typically work with a low dose, a psycholitic dose, to be able to process together during the experience. Ketamine tablets that dissolve in your mouth and then get absorbed sublingually, without swallowing, mean that you can be mailed your prescription to your home and be able to use it in person or virtually as needed. The effects of the ketamine lasting an hour mean that it can be a process that is more easily integrated into your life, as compared with other psychedelics that may have a longer lasting effect which can take more time to process and integrate. Most clients find that they can integrate ketamine work fairly easily into their weekly life and see it adding support with its immediate and ongoing neuroplastic benefits. Weekly or every other week ketamine sessions are recommended initially and can be adjusted based on your schedule and needs ongoing.