Hi, I'm Jonah!

I'm an IFS and EMDR therapist who works with Autistic, PDA, ADHD, and otherwise neurodivergent kids, teens, and adults. My approach is neurodiversity-affirming, nervous-system-informed, and focused on helping young people feel understood rather than "fixed."

You may be here because your child is struggling—and despite your best efforts, nothing seems to be helping.

Maybe they're overwhelmed by school, exhausted from masking, avoiding responsibilities, or shutting down when expectations are placed on them. Maybe everyday tasks like showering, eating, sleeping, schoolwork, or cleaning their room have become a source of ongoing stress and conflict.

If that sounds familiar, let’s talk!

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Support for children:

My goal is to help your child better understand themselves, build self-trust, develop practical coping skills, and create a life that works with their brain rather than against it.

I often support families with children who:

  • Relate to experiences commonly associated with Autism, ADHD, PDA, or ODD.

  • Feel overwhelmed by school demands, social expectations, masking, and the pressure to keep up.

  • Experience chronic stress, burnout, anxiety, meltdowns, shutdowns, or emotional overwhelm.

  • Avoid school, therapy, self-care tasks, or everyday responsibilities because demands feel threatening, overwhelming, or incompatible with their need for autonomy.

  • Seem capable one moment and unable to cope the next, leaving parents confused about what is driving their behavior.

  • Become distressed when given directions, reminders, praise, rewards, consequences, or even requests they genuinely want to fulfill.

  • Get caught in ongoing power struggles around independence, responsibilities, boundaries, and expectations.

  • Use negotiation, distraction, avoidance, or refusal to regain a sense of control when they feel pressured.

  • Struggle with sibling relationships and the big feelings that can come with them, including anger, jealousy, grief, sadness, or resentment.

  • Feel deeply misunderstood and have difficulty communicating what they need.

Support for parents:

Parenting a neurodivergent child can be rewarding, but it can also be exhausting, confusing, and isolating. You don't have to figure it all out on your own. I work with parents to reduce conflict, strengthen connection, and develop strategies that feel both effective and sustainable.

Together, we can work on:

  • Supporting your child with homework, hygiene, sleep, eating, and daily routines without constant battles.

  • Understanding the nervous system and autonomy-related factors driving challenging behaviors.

  • Recognizing when behavior is rooted in stress, overwhelm, burnout, or demand sensitivity rather than defiance.

  • Moving beyond reward-and-consequence approaches that may unintentionally increase distress or resistance.

  • Managing your own stress, frustration, anger, and overwhelm.

  • Navigating co-parenting challenges and differences in parenting styles.

  • Addressing concerns about school, relationships, independence, and your child's future.

  • Responding to difficult statements such as "I hate myself," "I hate you," or "I don't want to be alive."

  • Exploring low-demand, collaborative, and PDA-informed approaches to parenting.

  • Building a relationship with your child that feels more connected and less adversarial.

Many of the strategies parents are told should work simply don't fit neurodivergent kids. My role is to help you understand what's happening beneath the surface and find approaches that support both your child and your family.

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How I work:

Many of the challenges that bring families to therapy are described as "executive functioning" difficulties: getting started on tasks, managing time, staying organized, following through, coping with transitions, handling frustration/emotional regulation, or keeping up with school demands.

What often gets overlooked is that executive functioning is never just logistical. Every task has both a practical component and an emotional one. A child may know exactly what needs to be done, yet struggle because the task feels overwhelming, anxiety-provoking, boring, shame-inducing, or connected to past experiences of failure. For many neurodivergent children, these emotional experiences are at the heart of executive functioning challenges.

My work focuses on helping children better understand and navigate the emotional side of these struggles. Rather than relying solely on strategies, routines, or productivity tools, I help kids build awareness of what is happening internally so they can develop greater self-understanding, confidence, flexibility, and emotional regulation.

I work with children only when they genuinely want to be in therapy and feel ready to engage in the process. Therapy is most effective when a child feels safe, understood, and willing to participate. If a child is resistant, reluctant, or clearly not interested in therapy, I do not believe forcing the process is helpful.

In these situations, I often find that the most effective therapeutic work happens with caregivers. While it can be tempting to focus exclusively on changing a child's behaviour, meaningful change often begins by exploring the relational environment around them. How we show up in our relationships with our children profoundly shapes their ability to feel safe, understood, connected, and emotionally regulated.

My work with parents focuses on understanding emotional triggers, expectations, patterns, and mindset. When caregivers become more aware of their own reactions and experiences, they are often able to respond differently to their child, creating conditions that support growth, resilience, and cooperation. This approach frequently leads to positive changes in the family system, even when a child is not participating directly in therapy.

For children who are eager to work together, my approach is relational, collaborative, and grounded in trust. I meet each child where they are, incorporating play, creative expression, curiosity, and conversation in ways that feel natural and engaging. My goal is to create a space where children feel understood, supported, and empowered to make sense of themselves and their experiences.

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About me as a person…

I am a white, jewish, queer, 32 year old. I am a very casual, jokey and compassionate person. The things I think about a lot include building community and amazing friendships, how to organize for a better world and make a living all at the same time. I am in a queer pickleball league, I love Survivor, biking around my neighborhood and am obsessed with IFS therapy.

About me as a therapist…

My therapy style is deeply informed by the IFS and EMDR models. In my own experience with therapy, I often felt like I was being given advice, asked to reframe my thinking, or encouraged to practice mindfulness. While those approaches can be helpful for some people, they didn’t work for me — it often felt more like talking with a friend than engaging in a specialized therapeutic process.

IFS and EMDR feel different because they offer specific, evidence-based methods that trained therapists are uniquely equipped to guide. These approaches are grounded in the belief that your thoughts and feelings are deeply valid and meaningful. Rather than trying to change or suppress them, we work to understand why they developed in the first place.

Together, we will explore the different parts of your personality, learn the history and purpose of each part, and build a more connected and compassionate relationship with yourself. Whether the part that feels strongest is jealousy, anger, sadness, anxiety, or something else, we will approach it with curiosity and care. Often, when we try to silence or “get rid of” difficult feelings, they only become louder. Instead, we will learn to listen to them, understand them, and ultimately relate to them with greater compassion.

The very struggles that bring us into therapy can also become pathways toward richer, fuller, and more meaningful lives. In many cases, the parts of ourselves we dislike most deeply hold important clues to our most dramatic healing and growth.

What you bring into therapy won’t disappear, but it can be met with understanding, imagination, and companionship. I strive to create a space where all parts of you are welcome — including the parts that may dread, resist, or resent the idea of therapy itself.

I offer free 20-minute consultation calls to see if we’re a good fit.

CONTACT
(856) 441-3613 | jonahrosentherapy@gmail.com

CREDENTIALS
Jonah Rosen, LCSW, NPI: 1316647522

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Frequently Asked Questions

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  • The process starts with a phone consultation. During that conversation, we'll talk about what's going on and whether your child or teen is ready to engage in therapy. If they are, I'd be happy to work directly with them. If they aren't, we'll discuss whether it makes more sense to work with one parent or both parents to support the situation.

    I offer 3 treatment tracks:

    Track 1: Child-Centered Therapy

    This track is designed for kids and teens who are ready to participate in therapy. I meet with the child for two sessions, and then every third session I meet individually with one parent. Parent sessions rotate between caregivers and are intended to focus on your own therapeutic work, not just parenting concerns. Please come prepared to talk about what’s happening in your emotional world, as the patterns, challenges, and emotions that arise in our lives often show up in our parenting as well.

    Track 2: Parent-Focused Therapy

    This track is for situations where a child or teen is not yet ready to participate in therapy. This can be very common in Autistic/PDA kids as I’m sure you know! In this approach, I work directly with the parents. I meet with Parent 1 for an individual session, then Parent 2 for an individual session, alternating back and forth. In this track, you'll do your own individual therapeutic work. It doesn't need to be focused on your child. The challenges, emotions, and patterns that show up throughout our lives often show up in our parenting as well. Because of that, it's usually most helpful to focus on whatever feels most present and important for you in the moment.

    Track 3: Individual Only

    This option can be used for parents if only one parent is looking to receive therapy. It can also be used for children who prefer not to have the same therapist as their parents and would like to keep their therapy process separate. This is completely valid, whether the preference comes from the parent or the child. While I will not share information that a client does not want disclosed, maintaining separate therapeutic relationships can provide an added sense of privacy and comfort for everyone involved.This option can also be used if one, two, or three of the family members wants to see me weekly and would like to get the process moving faster. The more I can see different family members the more streamlined the process will be!

  • My primary specialties are Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

    EMDR is an evidence-based approach that can be highly effective for individuals who have experienced single-incident traumas, such as car accidents or natural disasters, as well as those living with the effects of complex trauma resulting from repeated or prolonged adverse experiences, including childhood trauma. If this aligns with your needs, I would be honored to support you in your healing process.

    IFS is a versatile and compassionate therapeutic approach that can benefit people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. I have particular expertise in supporting individuals navigating ADHD, autism, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). I also have extensive experience working with children, preteens, adolescents, parents, and neurodivergent clients. At the same time, I welcome the opportunity to work with individuals from all walks of life and am committed to providing an inclusive, affirming therapeutic environment for every client.

  • In general, it's preferable for the child to attend sessions independently if they're comfortable doing so. However, if your child needs you to be in the room, I do offer that option. In some cases, having a parent present can also be helpful for the therapeutic process. It really depends on the child, so we'll discuss what makes the most sense together and decide on an approach that feels right for everyone.

  • I currently do not. Most major insurance plans offer partial reimbursement for out-of-network services once your annual deductible has been met. It is very possible you will get 60-70% off your rate.

  • I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with four years of experience providing outpatient therapy to children, adults, and families. Throughout my career, I have worked with hundreds of clients in both individual and family therapy settings, helping them navigate a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and relational challenges.

    I am certified in Mindfulness-Based Play Family Therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). In addition, I will be completing Level 1 training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) this summer, further expanding my expertise in evidence-based approaches that support meaningful, lasting change.

  • Yes, I offer reduced rates for individuals facing financial barriers to paying the full fee. Sliding scale rates are determined through an open conversation about your current financial situation, with the goal of making therapy accessible while respecting the value of our work together.

    If you have questions about the fee structure or are unsure whether you qualify for a reduced rate, please don’t hesitate to reach out to discuss your options.

  • I have an office in Center City, Philadelphia, and also offer virtual sessions. I can work with anyone located in Pennsylvania and am happy to meet either in person or online, depending on what feels like the best fit for you and your family.

  • I recommend that we start with weekly appointments. This gives us the opportunity to get to know each other, to identify your therapy goals and to work towards them in a consistent way. Some clients transition to every other week when they feel that they've made significant progress towards their goals and wish to meet less frequently. With that said, if there are financial constraints around meeting weekly, we can discuss this and try to find a way that works for you.

What are my fees?

My standard rate is $165 per session.

Contact me for sliding scale rates.

I currently don’t accept insurance but most major insurance plans offer partial reimbursement for out-of-network services once your annual deductible has been met. It is very possible you will get 50-70% off your rate.