Dori Zener, is a registered social worker who has dedicated her career to creating Neurodiversity-Affirming mental health opportunities for autistic people across the lifespan. Her specialized focus lies in supporting late-discovered neurodivergent individuals, helping them cultivate self-awareness and self-compassion throughout their personal journeys. Dori also offers trainings based on her clinical expertise, centered around her INVEST model, which provides a Neurodiversity-Affirming framework for counseling. She is deeply passionate about fostering autism acceptance and actively contributes to expanding the understanding of autism through various avenues such as publications, workshops, research collaborations, and corporate consultations.
Dori strongly values the transformative potential of shared lived experiences in fostering connections and instilling hope. To bring this belief into practice, she spearheaded the establishment of five autistic-led peer support groups. Good Company, for adult women and nonbinary adults, Chilling on the Spectrum, a young adult support and social group, Navigating Work a unique group for Neurodivergent job seekers, Rainbow Spectrum Pride, a support group for autistic 2SLGBTQIA+ adults, and Wildflowers, a support and social group for autistic girls and nonbinary teens. Through these initiatives, Dori aims to cultivate supportive communities that nurture individuals and celebrate their diverse experiences.
Client Focus: Preteens (9+ years), teens and adults diagnosed or self-diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum including Asperger’s Syndrome, learning differences and ADHD. Lifespan approach. Expertise working with girls and women.
Single Session Therapy + Resources: $400/90 minutes
Fee: $225/clinical hour session
Trainings/ Public Speaking on the following topics: INVEST Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy Model, Profile of Autistic girls & women, Autism & Mental Health
Treatment Orientation:
- Neurodiversity Framework
- Strengths-Based
- Person-Centred
- Solution Focused Therapy (SFT)
- Dialectical Behavioral (DBT)
- Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Services:
- Adjusting to change / life transitions
- Anger management
- Anxiety
- Behavioral issues
- Bullying
- Coping skills
- Depression
- Effective communication
- Emotion regulation
- Executive functioning
- Girls and Women with ASD
- Gender diversity
- Mood disorders
- Parenting
- Peer relationships
- Self esteem
- Sexuality and relationships
- Social skills
- Stress management
- Women’s issues
- Work performance
Therapy Options:
In person, telephone, online video conference or email therapy
Education:
Master of Social Work, University of Toronto, Faculty of Social Work
Bachelor of Arts (Hons.), Social and Political Theory, University of Western Ontario
Certificate in Solution-Focused Counselling, University of Toronto
Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) Accredited Provider
Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Ongoing training in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Publications
Autism in Adulthood. Mar 2021.11-17. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aut.2020.29017.avk
Zener, D. (2019), “Helping autistic women thrive”, Advances in Autism, Vol. 5 No. 3, pp. 143-156. https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-10-2018-0042
Zener, D. (2019), “Journey to diagnosis for women with autism”, Advances in Autism, Vol. 5 Issue: 1, pp.2-13, https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-10-2018-0041
Contact Dori Zener to request full-text versions of the publications.
Multimedia
Radio Guest
The Dating and Relationship Show – Autism and Dating AM640 – 2019
Videos
“10 Tips for Enhancing Mental Health” – CAMH 2023
https://youtu.be/kRNVaMA3JCA
“Fostering well-being in Autistic girls and women”, Profile of girls and women, INVEST – ACT 2022
https://youtu.be/xyTp4x3BYS0
“PTSD & Sexual Assault” – AIDE Canada 2022
https://aidecanada.ca/resources/learn/crisis-response/ptsd-from-sexual-assault
INVESTing in Women & Girls with ASD: Identify Needs, Validate, Educate, Strengthen, and Thrive – 2018
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHFkezbvgdDZgIfIGXDjD32uF4ObMs4tE
Practical Strategies for Promoting Mental Wellness for Girls & Women with Autism – ACT 2017
https://www.actcommunity.ca/education/videos/practical-strategies-for-supporting-mental-wellness-of-teenage-girls-and-women-with-asd
Women on the Autism Spectrum and Eating Disorders: Implications for Treatment – NEDIC 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLvI1euWX-g&feature=youtu.be
