top of page

Lea Choi

Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, CA | AMFT #151193

"You are neither alone nor broken — you are part of a broader, deeply valued spectrum of human experience."

Why I Do This Work

​

I didn't find my way to assessment work through textbooks. I found it through living in a relationship that confused me for years.
 

When I first met my partner, I was drawn to their brilliant mind, their unique way of seeing the world, and the depth of emotion they carried.

 

But as our relationship deepened, so did the confusion.

 

What my partner read as emotional distance, I was actually experiencing sensory overload. And conversely, I was getting frustrated with what I saw as laziness, while my partner was actually struggling with ADHD executive functioning challenges.

 

For years, we misunderstood each other's reactions — mistaking neurological differences for personal failings. Conflict left us both feeling isolated and unseen — until we began learning to communicate in a way that worked for our relationship, not just for one of us.
​

What Makes Assessment Life-Changing

​

An accurate diagnosis isn't just a label.

For most of the adults I work with, it is the first time someone has looked at their entire life story — the struggles, the misfires, the exhaustion — and said: 'This makes sense.'
 

It's the moment when years of confusion crystallize into clarity. When the shame of 'I keep failing at things that seem easy for everyone else' is replaced by 'my brain works differently — and that is okay.'
 

A neurodiversity-affirming assessment doesn't just identify what is present. It reframes the entire narrative of a person's life.

That is why I approach every evaluation with the depth it deserves.

My Approach to Assessment

​

In my view, a truly neurodiversity-affirming assessment begins with being neuro-informed.

The goal is not to count deficits or pathologize differences, but to cultivate curiosity — to understand what is present and meaningful for each individual.
 

I bring emerging research, leading voices in the neurodiversity-affirming community, and deep respect for your lived experience into every evaluation. I'll draw on validated clinical tools while always centering your story and your voice.

The focus is on understanding your full picture: your strengths, your patterns, your neurotype — not just where you diverge from a neurotypical norm.
 

When we work together, you'll be an active participant in the process, not a subject being tested. Every step will be explained, collaborative, and paced with your nervous system in mind.

Support During and After the Assessment

​

At AAA, therapeutic support is woven into the assessment process itself. You won't receive a report and be left to make sense of it alone.
 

During our work together, I provide psychoeducation, emotional processing, and space to sit with what we're discovering — session by session.

After your assessment is complete, I can continue with you in therapy or coaching to help you apply what you've learned: developing strategies, understanding your sensory and emotional profile, and building a life that honors how you're actually wired.
 

Getting answers is the beginning. Having support to act on them is where real change happens.

Assessment Specialties

​​

  • Autism Spectrum Assessment for adults, including late-identified and high-masking individuals

  • ADHD Evaluation and co-occurring conditions

  • Multicultural and intercultural assessments

  • Alexithymia, Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), and emotional processing profiles

  • LGBTQIA+, poly, and kink-affirming evaluation contexts

  • Post-assessment therapy and neurodiverse coaching

​

Therapy Modalities

​​

  • Gottman Method (Levels 1 & 2)

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Attachment-Based Therapy

​

Education & Training

​​

  • M.A., Marriage and Family Therapy — Touro University Worldwide

  • M.A., English Literature — University of Vermont (2008)

  • B.A., English Literature — University of Cincinnati (2002)

  • Graduate-level training in psychological and neurodiverse assessment

  • Supervised by Dr. Harry Motro, LMFT #53452

  • Employed by New Path Family of Therapy Centers

​

A Final Word

​​

If you've spent years wondering why the world feels harder to navigate than it seems to for others, you deserve more than a checklist.

You deserve a collaborative process that honors your full story, connects the dots, and leaves you with genuine clarity.
 

I'd be honored to walk alongside you in that process — at your pace, with your nervous system in mind, and with deep respect for who you are.

bottom of page