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Biography
Dr. Gaines is a counseling psychologist with over a decade of experience in clinical practice, specializing in assessment, as well as college-level psychology instruction. She is herself a late-identified autistic adult and has neurodivergent immediate family members. She is passionate about ensuring that accurate and neurodiversity-affirming information about autism is available and accessible for autistic individuals and others in their lives, as well as to broader society. She loves to focus on the many and varied strengths that autistic individuals have to offer to the world.
Education
PhD in Counseling Psychology from Texas Tech University
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Texas Tech University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of the South
Certifications
I am a licensed psychologist in the states of Alabama and Texas. I also have Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology, which allows me to practice telepsychology in all PSYPACT states.
Area of Expertise
Psychological Assessment
Adult Autism Assessment
Psychotherapy
Psychological Education
Modalities
Client-Centered
Mindfulness-Based
Cognitive-Behavioral
Neurodiversity-Affirming
Affiliations
Research and Publications
Gaines, M.V., Giles, C.L., & Morgan, R.D. (2013). The detection of feigning using multiple PAI scale elevations: A new index. Assessment, 20(4), 437-447. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191112458146
Gaines, M.V., Frederick, R.I., & Giles, C.L. (2009, March). Validating the SIRS using Mixed Groups Validation using the M-FAST as an estimator of base rate. In R.I. Frederick (Chair), Validating Tests without Criterion Groups [Symposium]. The American Psychology-Law Society, San Antonio, TX.
Gaines, M.V., Giles, C.L., Morgan, R.D., & Steffan, J. (2007, August). The combined use of the M-FAST and PAI in the detection of malingering among inmates [Poster presentation]. American Psychological Association, San Francisco, California
Social Anxiety vs Autism: Understanding the Differences and Overlaps
The major difference between social anxiety and autism is how they are classified; autism is considered a neurodevelopmental condition, while social anxiety is a mental health condition. Despite this, the two diagnoses share a number of similarities. Autistic individuals and people with social anxiety communicate and experience social situations differently than others. While they have many overlapping traits, social anxiety and autism are ultimately very different. Individuals with either diagnosis can benefit greatly from supports like psychotherapy and, for some, medication. A mental health professional must determine whether an individual is autistic, has social anxiety or both to provide truly tailored and holistic support.
Alexithymia and Autism
Everyone will, at some point in their lives, find themselves at a loss for words when describing how they’re feeling. When it occurs on occasion, it’s human nature. However, if the challenge to name or express emotions is a prevailing theme in someone’s life, it may be a sign of alexithymia. While primary alexithymia is relatively uncommon, the odds of having alexithymia traits are much higher in autistic people.
Advocating for Inclusion: The Role of the Social Model in Disability Empowerment
Most people know someone who has a disability––or they have a disability themselves. According to the census, 13.4% of the total population in the U.S. is disabled. This means 44.1 million people live with various challenges, from ambulatory to cognitive to visual.
Disabilities can be visible or invisible, such as autism or mental health conditions. In addition to the great variations in disability, there’s also more than one way to view the concept of being disabled.
Many autistic folks have engaged in discussion at one point or another about whether being autistic is a difference or a disability. This answer can change depending on which model through which we see autism. In the medical model, autism itself is the cause of a disability, but in the social model, autism is a difference, and it is the environment that disables us.
Read on to explore the differences between the medical and social models of disability.