What is NeuroJoy?
Hi there! My name is Catherine Cavin, LMSW. I’m a neurodivergent person, therapist + social worker & lifelong Nashvillian serving my home state of Tennessee.
While providing therapy at ScienceWorks Health is currently my primary professional role & one that I love, this project of mine has become a passion all it’s own:
NeuroJoy is a place to centralize the mental health resources I have collected & continue to collect over the years. My goal is to make finding up-to-date, scientifically-sound & neuroaffirming (aka neurodivergent-affirming) resources much easier for the average person to find.
The focus of my work is primarily on the subjects of Autism, ADHD, OCD, Chronic Illness & the overall Neurodiversity Movement. But, with my background in social work, helping people find a plethora of resources is a built-in part of how I approach mental healthcare. It can be anything from an article on intrusive thoughts to helping people connect with an organization for affordable housing. So, this website also encompasses that breadth. You’ll find resources divided by subject, and then subdivided further based on the type of resource it is.
I am passionate about sharing information as many ways as my creativity & energy allows. My plan is to create more original content including trainings, lectures & printable information sheets & worksheets. I’d love to hear what kind of info you want more of!
Lived Experience
I myself am autistic* & have ADHD (aka, AuDHD neurotype). I am also a chronically ill disabled individual who uses a wheelchair part time.
In the beginning of my career, I was nervous talk much about my experiences to coworkers, much less utilize self-disclosure in session. But, pretty quickly into this role I realized that many clients feel much more comfortable knowing that I have lived experience in these areas. I learned that offering that information freely (and tactfully) could improve the quality of the therapeutic relationship.
Furthermore, I have found that being open about these things in professional spaces creates an opportunity for me to truly embody my advocacy. How could I advocate for the autistic & chronically ill community if I was denying my own identity?
*Here is a link to an article from an autistic psychologist which I think presents well the strengths that autism can bring to one’s work as a therapist, if you’re curious. I think it’s great read!
Professional Background
I graduated from Trevecca University with my bachelor’s in social work in 2019, where my spring semester was spent working as an in-school therapist at an inner city middle school.
After graduation, I went on to work at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital as a mental health specialist where I supported patients in their day to day needs & helped provide group therapy.
In graduate school at UTK, I worked as an intern therapist for low income families and lead IOP groups for adults recovering from addiction. I completed my masters in social work with a focus on trauma in the spring of 2021.
After graduate school, I worked at Rogers Behavioral Health Nashville as a therapist in their intensive Adult OCD treatment program. It was a highly structured environment which focused on using exposure response prevention.
After some time at Rogers, I decided to transition into a private practice setting, where I’ve been since March of 2022. This position has allowed me the flexibility to pull from all my varied experiences and provide care that is individualized for each unique client.
In summer of 2023, I presented on the intersection of OCD & Autism at the Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association’s 2023 Summit. I have also participated on panels for graduate students on working with neurodivergent clients and on being a neurodivergent therapist. Sharing about this community & educating other professionals is something I’m really passionate about & look forward to doing more of in the future!
NeuroJoy 