Recovery Centered Podcast | Real Talk on Recovery & Mental Health
Autism, Connection, and Rethinking Neurodivergent Care with Dr. Ali Cunningham Abbott
In this episode of Recovery Centered , Tim Roberto sits down with Dr. Ali Cunningham Abbott, PhD, LMHC, QS, a clinician, educator, and advocate who has spent nearly two decades working with the autistic community. Dr. Cunningham Abbott serves as Program Director and Associate Professor in Lynn University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and as Senior Clinical Advisor for the Nest Program at Family First Adolescent Services, which provides residential care for neurodivergent adolescents. Their conversation explores how our understanding of autism has evolved—from older ideas about “high” and “low” functioning to a more individualized focus on support needs, masking, communication differences, and neurodiversity. Dr. Cunningham Abbott discusses why autistic people may communicate more naturally with other neurodivergent people, how structure and routine can support functioning, and why behaviors such as stimming can play an important role in self-regulation. The discussion also examines the intersection of autism, mental health, and substance use. Drawing on her clinical experience, Dr. Cunningham Abbott explains how substances can sometimes become a social tool for autistic people navigating relationships and belonging—and why this population may face particular vulnerabilities in social situations. She and Tim return throughout the conversation to one of the strongest protective factors in recovery and mental health: meaningful human connection. Dr. Cunningham Abbott also shares the path that took her from graduate training and early work at Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Autism & Related Disabilities to private practice, higher education, clinical consultation, and advocacy. The episode offers a broader look at what neurodivergent-informed care can mean for clinicians, treatment programs, families, and the people they serve.
