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Heather Emerson-Young

Heather Emerson-Young

Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist

Heather Emerson‑Young combines lived experience and clinical training to help neurodiverse couples heal after betrayal.

 

With warmth, structure, and visual clarity, she guides partners through the chaos—translating pain into progress and rebuilding trust with tools that work for both brains.

Why I Get What You’re Going Through

I married a brilliant, quietly intense autistic partner and thought our love could bulldoze any obstacle. Then an affair detonated what I believed was rock‑solid trust.

 

Suddenly every ND/NT difference—his shutdowns, my need to “talk it out,” our clashing sensory needs—turned into emotional shrapnel.

 

Therapy taught us two life‑changing truths: (1) betrayal pain has stages, and (2) those stages must be walked at a pace both brains can manage. That lived rescue mission shapes how I now guide other couples.

How I Use the Seven‑Step Roadmap

  1. ​Stabilize the Crisis – Sleep plans, communication time‑outs, sensory calm spaces.
     

  2. Full Written Disclosure – Timelines first, spoken dialogue second, regulated breaks always.
     

  3. Meaning‑Making Without Blame – We separate autistic shut‑downs from betrayal dynamics so guilt lands in the right place.
     

  4. Empathy That Translates – Impact letters + concrete apologies (“Here’s what I did, here’s how I’ll repair”).
     

  5. Ownership Until It Shows – Daily behavior logs, not promises.
     

  6. Change You Can Measure – Color‑coded relapse‑prevention plan, visual trackers.
     

  7. Commit With a New Culture – A “Couple’s Owner’s Manual” covering sensory, communication, and intimacy rituals.
     

What It’s Like in Session

  • I slow the tempo so both partners can process without flooding.
     

  • Visual aids, bullet‑point summaries, and post‑session emails keep details crystal clear.
     

  • I balance fierce accountability with genuine warmth—you’ll feel both every time we meet.

Credentials

​ Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, License #154676
Supervised by Dr. Harry Motro, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #53452
Employed by New Path Family of Therapy Centers

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