About Me
I am a neurodivergent, CDA licensed Psychologist, American Licensed Professional Counselor, and Neurodiversity Affirming, Trauma Therapist with over 13 years of clinical experience , working with adults, adolescents, families, and professionals across diverse mental health settings.
In the United States, my clinical background included work in community mental health, family-based services, school settings, behavioral therapy, crisis response, case management, correctional facilities, and private practice. I am a trained Crisis Prevention and Intervention instructor and previously directed crisis response clinical practice training for over 200 clinical staff across multiple service environments. I also have experience in clinical program development, management, and supervision.
I relocated to Dubai, United Arab Emirates in July 2021 and have since worked within various mental health clinics across the UAE. I am also an Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology at Murdoch University Dubai, where I have been teaching since April 2024.
My work in this region inspired the creation of Uniquely You Mental Health Center LLC. My mission is to continue advancing mental health awareness, psychoeducation, empowerment, and trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming care both locally and globally.
My Therapeutic Approach
In therapy, I focus on creating a safe, collaborative, and trauma-informed space where clients can explore how culture, family generational patterns, lived experiences, and trauma shape their emotions, behaviors, relationships, and nervous system responses.
As a neurodivergent clinician, I am deeply passionate about helping individuals better understand their unique brains and nervous systems. We are not disordered or defective — we are human. Differences in how our brains process and experience the world deserve understanding, accommodation, and affirmation rather than pathologization.
My Work Emphasizes
- Increasing awareness of the interconnectedness between thoughts, emotions, behaviors, trauma (including complex and developmental trauma), the nervous system, and relationships
- Exploring unmet emotional needs, attachment patterns, and childhood experiences- including generational and relational trauma- that influence present-day functioning
- Providing culturally responsive, trauma-informed care that honors each client’s cultural identity, values, and lived experiences, including the impact of migration, identity, and cross-cultural stressors.
- Supporting empowerment through self-understanding, self-compassion, authenticity, and nervous system awareness, tailored to each individual’s unique neurobiology and life context
My therapeutic style is warm, grounded, open, supportive and direct. I utilize trauma focused therapies, including modified EMDR and Somatic practices, to support the brain in reprocessing traumatic memories and regulating an overactive nervous system.
Neurodiversity-Affirming Care
I strongly believe in empowering neurodivergent individuals to:
- Understand and validate their lived experiences
- Advocate for their needs and accommodations
- Reduce shame and internalized ableism through self-compassion
- Support sensory, emotional, and nervous system regulation
Elaine Maichin
Owner and Psychologist
Therapeutic Modalities
I work with adults and adolescents, both in-person and online, using a holistic, integrative, culturally responsive, trauma-informed approach. My works draws from:
- Modified Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Somatic practices
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
- Neuroscience and neurobiology
Clinical Focus Areas
- Neurodivergence (Autism, ADHD, AuDHD)
- Sensory processing differences
- Trauma and complex trauma (PTSD/CPTSD), including generational trauma
- Living with Celiac disease and other autoimmune or chronic health conditions
- Anxiety and panic
- Depression and mood fluctuations
- Bipolar
- Emotional and nervous system regulation
- Relationship and attachment difficulties
- Stress management and burnout
- Expat Transitions
- Personal and professional development
- Inner child work
- Self-compassion and self-empowerment
- LGBTQIA+-affirming care
Additional Services
In addition to individual therapy, I offer:
- Neurodiversity-Affirming Assessments (Adults- online only)
Autism (combined with ADHD assessment
ADHD - Support Groups
- DBT skills-based group therapy
- Clinical supervision
- Corporate training, workshops, and speaking engagements
Education
- Doctorate (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology, Meridian University, USA (2023–Present) anticipated graduation December 2026
- Master of Science (MSc) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Walden University, USA (CACREP-accredited)
Licenses, Certifications and Training
- Licensed Psychologist, Community Development Authority (CDA), Dubai, UAE
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, USA
- National Certified Counselor (NCC), NBCC (USA)
- Certified Autism Specialist (IBCCES)
- Official Neurodiversity Affirming Healthcare Provider (ndaffirmingcare.com)
- MIGDAS-2 Trained Clinician
- Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
- EMDR Basic Practitioner (EMDRIA)
- Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapist (C-DBT)
- Psychological First Aid (NCTSN)
- CAPS-5 (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Beck Institute)
- Certified Mindfulness Meditation Trainer (NFNLP)
- Certified Stress Management Consultant (NFNLP)