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Biography
Dr. Jackie Shinall is a clinical psychologist with over 14 years of experience working with the autism population, and over eight years of experience conducting diagnostic assessments and completing reports. She supervised doctoral students through diagnostic assessments and reviewed reports. At Prosper Health, Dr. Shinall focuses on ensuring clients feel heard and understood, and she aims to provide thorough and accurate diagnostic clarity for adults seeking an autism diagnosis.
Education
Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
Masters of Clinical Psychology (Psy.M.) Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
Masters of Science (M.S.) in Neuroscience and Education – Columbia University’s Teacher’s College
Bachelor’s degree (BA) in Psychology
Certifications
She is a licensed clinical psychologist in Florida.
Area of Expertise
- Autism in adults - particularly diagnosis and assessing - I have used a wide range of tools and techniques to best understand the adults presenting for a diagnostic assessment.
- Differential diagnoses and co-occurring diagnoses with ASD. Many adults and adolescents with ASD have prior or co-occurring diagnoses, and I help clients to understand the different symptoms to help them best learn to manage those symptoms.
- Psychoeducation – Helping clients learn about the different mental health conditions, traits/symptoms, and how those have impacted them across their lifespan.
Modalities
Affiliations
Research and Publications
Bal, V. H., Mournet, A. M., Glascock, T., Shinall, J., Gunin, G., Jadav, N., ... & Kleiman, E. M. (2024). The emotional support plan: Feasibility trials of a brief, telehealth-based mobile intervention to support coping for autistic adults. Autism, 28(4), 932-944.
Mournet, A. M., Gunin, G., Shinall, J., Brennan, E., Jadav, N., Istvan, E., ... & Bal, V. H. (2024). The impact of measurement on clinical trials: Comparison of preliminary outcomes of a brief mobile intervention for autistic adults using multiple measurement approaches. Autism Research, 17(2), 432-442.
Albright, J., Shinall, J. A., Tomczuk, L., Stewart, R. E., Mandell, D. S., Stahmer, A. C., ... & Pellecchia, M. (2024). A multi-constituent qualitative examination of facilitators and barriers to caregiver coaching for autistic children in publicly funded early intervention. Autism, 13623613241272993.
Bal, V. H., Mournet, A., Gunin, G., Shinall, J., Glascock, V., Zhang, D., ... & Chu, B. (2023). Transdiagnostic Approaches to Supporting Mental Health of Autistic Adults. INSAR 2023.
Mournet, AM, Shinall, J, Gravino A, etal. Mental health guide for autistic college students. Organization for Autism Research. 2022. https://researchautism.org/resources/mentalhealth-guide/
Ferretti, C.J., Taylor, B.P., Shinall, J., & Hollander, E. Psychiatric Assessment and Pharmacological Treatment. In Hollander, E., Hagerman, R., & Fein, D., (2018), Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Luo, S. X., Shinall, J. A., Peterson, B. S., & Gerber, A. J. (2016). Semantic mapping reveals distinct patterns in descriptions of social relations in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Research, 9(8), 846-853.
Navigating Neurodivergence: Tips for Managing Asperger's Brain Fog
Our understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has grown significantly over the years, leading to important changes in how we diagnose and describe its various presentations. One of the most significant changes to the ASD diagnosis is the inclusion of Asperger’s syndrome as part of the autism spectrum.
Asperger's syndrome was added to the DSM-IV in 1994 but was moved underneath the diagnostic umbrella of “Autism Spectrum Disorder” in the DSM-V in 2013. Though Asperger’s syndrome is considered to be part of the autism spectrum, it presents symptoms that are similar to ASD but may be less severe or pervasive. Asperger’s is typically marked by:
- Impaired social interaction and nonverbal communication
- Restricted interests
- Repetitive behaviors
- Lack of awareness about how their actions may impact others
The main difference between Asperger’s and autism is that people who were formerly diagnosed with Asperger’s may have less severe symptoms and no speech delay. In fact, those who have been diagnosed with Asperger’s may have advanced speech and language skills.
So, while Asperger’s used to be its own diagnosis, the current diagnostic standards for autism spectrum disorder include Asperger’s. Those who may have, in the past, been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome are now likely to be diagnosed with level one autism or to be classified as having low support needs.
While it’s true that diagnostic standards have been updated due to the fact that Asperger’s and autism have a large overlap of symptoms, Asperger’s is no longer used also due in part to its controversial namesake. Asperger’s syndrome was first formally named by Hans Asperger after he conducted a comprehensive study on a group of children with autistic traits in 1944. Though Asperger was never an official member of the Nazi Party, he worked closely with them and cooperated with their policies, which targeted neurodivergent individuals. Asperger’s ties to nazi policies, and the harsh language he used to describe his patients is among the reasons that the term “Asperger’s” is no longer widely used.
However, even though the term is largely outdated, many neurodivergent people were originally diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and still resonate with it. Therefore, it’s important to approach the controversy surrounding the name with nuance.
Autism and Psychosis: Overlap, Differences and Co-occurrence
When most people think of psychosis, they think of schizophrenia—not autism. However, psychosis can be associated with several different diagnoses. Although psychosis is not a symptom of autism, it’s more common for autistic individuals to experience psychosis at some point during their lives than it is for neurotypicals.
Psychosis often involves hallucinations and delusions, where an individual perceives things that are not there or believes things that are untrue, respectively. These experiences can feel very real and quite frightening. However, many forms of support can help people thrive while reducing, managing or eliminating symptoms of psychosis.
Pathological Demand Avoidance: Understanding PDA and its Relationship to Autism
Do you feel frozen whenever you feel like you should be doing something? Do the demands of day-to-day tasks make you feel like the walls are closing in? If demands cause you severe anxiety that gets in the way of completing daily activities, you might be experiencing demand avoidance. Pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is most commonly connected to autism, contributing to the great diversity of the autism spectrum. However, allistic (non-autistic) individuals can also align with a PDA profile. PDA can have significant impacts on a person’s life, but broader social awareness of PDA is still limited. Many support strategies, including neurodiversity-affirming therapy, can help PDA individuals manage demands and move through life with less anxiety.