Perimenopause in Neurodivergent Women: Why Functioning Changes and How Therapists Can Help
When: Friday, December 11, 2026, from 12 PM–2 PM CST Where: Virtual, hosted on Google Meet CEU Credit: 2 CE hours for eligible Texas professionals, including LMSW/LCSW, LPC/LPC Associate, LMFT/LMFT Associate, PsyD, PhD, and RD/LD. This training is designed to address competency in working with distinct populations. CE credit eligibility may vary by licensing board. Professionals licensed outside Texas should verify acceptance with their respective boards.
Cost: $80 for Fully Licensed Professionals (LCSW, LMFT, LPC, PsyD, etc.) $60 for Provisionally Licensed Clinicians (LMSW, LPC Associates, etc.) Scholarships are available based on need. Please email [email protected] to inquire.
About the CEUWhat happens when the strategies that have helped a neurodivergent client navigate everyday life for years suddenly seem less effective? Perimenopause and menopause can bring changes in attention, memory, sleep, emotional regulation, sexual functioning, and overall functioning. For women with ADHD, autism, AuDHD, and twice-exceptionality, these changes may interact with existing executive-function differences, sensory needs, and compensatory strategies, potentially contributing to increased overwhelm and burnout. During this interactive, research-informed training, Lisa Sledd, LMFT, will explore how estrogen and other reproductive hormones influence dopamine signaling and brain systems involved in cognition, motivation, and emotional regulation. Participants will examine how menopausal experiences may differ between neurotypical and neurodivergent women, including the current research on ADHD medication effectiveness, neurodivergent burnout, and changes in cognitive and emotional functioning. Through clinical vignettes and practical applications, therapists will learn to distinguish overlapping symptoms, recognize when medical evaluation or medication reassessment may be appropriate, and explore how changes in capacity, environmental demands, and longstanding compensatory strategies affect clients' daily lives. Participants will leave with practical, neuroaffirming assessment questions and therapeutic strategies to better support clients through this transition. CEU ObjectivesUpon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
Explain how changes in estrogen and other reproductive hormones may influence dopamine signaling, executive functioning, sleep, and emotional regulation during perimenopause and menopause.
Differentiate common perimenopausal experiences from potential interactions between hormonal changes and the cognitive, emotional, and sensory profiles of individuals with ADHD, autism, AuDHD, and twice-exceptionality.
Identify how hormonal changes, sleep disruption, environmental demands, and longstanding compensatory strategies may contribute to changes in functioning and experiences associated with neurodivergent burnout.
Recognize appropriate clinical assessment considerations, medical referrals, and reported changes in ADHD medication effectiveness while distinguishing established research from emerging evidence.
Apply neuroaffirming therapeutic strategies to support executive functioning, emotional regulation, sensory needs, relationships, and adjustment to changing capacities during the menopausal transition.
About the Presenter Lisa Sledd, LMFT Lisa Sledd is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Texas and California with a background in molecular biology and biochemistry. Before becoming a therapist, Lisa worked as a molecular biologist, and her scientific background continues to inform her research-informed, collaborative approach to clinical practice. Lisa earned her master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. She specializes in working with neurodivergent adults, particularly individuals with ADHD, autism, AuDHD, and twice-exceptionality. Her clinical interests include executive functioning, emotional regulation, sensory processing, autistic burnout, and the ways neurodevelopmental differences affect identity, relationships, and everyday life. Lisa provides individual, couples, and family therapy, an adult RODBT skills group, and neuroaffirming ADHD and autism assessments. Her clinical training includes EMDR, RODBT, the Gottman Method, and additional training in other therapeutic approaches. She is LGBTQIA+ and neurodiversity affirming and also specializes in perinatal mental health. Combining her scientific background with her clinical experience, Lisa has developed a particular interest in how hormonal transitions may interact with neurodevelopmental differences and how therapists can provide thoughtful, individualized support throughout perimenopause and menopause.