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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.
Mindfulness Practices for Autistic Adults: Enhancing Daily Life and Emotional Health
Mindfulness is the practice of being present and engaged with your thoughts, emotions and surroundings without judgment. For adults with autism spectrum disorder, mindfulness is a valuable tool for managing sensory overload, emotional regulation and stress. While mindfulness is often associated with a meditation practice, it doesn’t have to mean sitting in silence. The beauty of mindfulness is that it can be adapted to fit personal needs.
Autistic individuals often experience heightened sensory processing and deep focus on special interests, which can make mindfulness particularly beneficial but also challenging. Traditional mindfulness training that emphasizes bodily awareness or emotional exploration may not always be accessible due to alexithymia or co-occurring conditions. When adapted to suit neurodivergent needs, though, mindfulness can provide a structured way to manage anxiety, process emotions and create moments of calm.
Rather than prioritizing detachment, autistic-friendly mindfulness embraces deep focus, structured repetition and sensory engagement. Whether through stimming, mindful movement or focusing on sensory experiences, mindfulness is a powerful tool for self-care.
The key is finding what works best for you. After all, practicing mindfulness isn’t about changing who you are—it’s about creating space to feel grounded and present in a way that supports your autistic experience.
How to Deal with Sensory Overload in Autistic Adults: Effective Strategies and Solutions
Sensory overload is a common challenge for autistic adults. Bright lights and unexpected sounds may seem harmless to some, but to the autistic brain, they can trigger the same physiological responses that bodies enter when facing something dangerous. This is why so many individuals on the autism spectrum find sensory-heavy environments so overwhelming.
A large proportion of autistic adults report experiencing sensory challenges, sometimes known as sensory processing disorder. This can include a heightened sensitivity (hypersensitivity) or reduced sensitivity (hyposensitivity) to sensory experiences. Sensory seeking refers to actively seeking out certain sensory experiences, such as craving deep pressure or being drawn to specific textures or sounds in order to regulate sensory input. On the other hand, for those with heightened sensitivity, everyday environments can quickly become overwhelming, and it can be all too easy to end up in a state of sensory overload.
Overload happens when the nervous system is bombarded with too much information all at once. The body interprets this as a threat, activating a protective mechanism designed to restore balance and prevent further distress. Sensory overload can manifest in many ways—sudden fatigue, difficulty concentrating, anxiety or irritability. Sometimes, it can be mistaken for emotional distress or even a panic attack.
Luckily, there are some helpful strategies for managing and preventing sensory overload. First and foremost, it’s important to remember that the goal is to accommodate sensory needs, not to ‘fix’ them.
Therapy for Autistic Adults: What to Expect in Your First Session
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the development of a person’s brain and nervous system. ASD is part of the natural diversity in human brains, traits and behaviors, also called neurodiversity. Autism occurs along a spectrum, and each autistic person may have a very different combination and intensity of autistic characteristics and support needs. In general, when compared to neurotypical peers, autistic individuals typically experience differences in sensory and cognitive processing, social approaches, communication and their relationship to routine and repetition.
ASD has long been stigmatized and misunderstood, even within the medical community. Often, autism is associated with early childhood, but in reality, it’s a lifelong diagnosis. The CDC estimates that nearly five and a half million US adults are autistic, yet the scarcity of resources for autistic adults is staggering. A 2019 study found that 84% of US counties have no diagnostic resources for autistic individuals of any age, and accessing high-quality mental health services as an autistic adult is notoriously difficult.
For many autistic adults, this gap in resources can make getting help daunting—but all the more important. Autistic adults are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness––between 40 and 50% of autistic individuals have or have had anxiety, and as many as 40% have or have had depression, compared to 18.2% and 21.4% of all US adults, respectively. Even more worrying, 66% of late-diagnosed autistic adults reported experiencing suicidal ideation at some point in their lives. Stigma and a broad social failure to accommodate autistic needs are likely drivers of poorer mental health outcomes among autistic adults.
Autistic adults can thrive despite adversity, but many of us confront similar challenges and could benefit from support. These can include, but are certainly not limited to:
- Masking and unmasking
- Autistic burnout
- Sensory sensitivity and sensory overload
- Disclosure and accessing support
- For late-diagnosed autistic adults, processing a new diagnosis