Pansy Ayala | Colorado | Catalyss Counseling

Concerns I treat:

High Achieving
Anxiety
ADHD/Autism
Cultural Differences
Grief and Loss
Parenting Stress
Pregnancy
Postpartum Anxiety/Depression
Relationships
Depression
Work Stress
Trauma

Pansy Ayala, LCSW

therapist/Licensed Clinical Social Worker
She/Her

who I work with:

I help individuals navigating perinatal mental health challenges, neurodivergent professionals, and first and second generation adults to understand themselves more fully so they can move through their lives with greater clarity, authenticity, and intention.

Maybe you are Asian American or a first or second generation adult whose family immigrated to the US, and you have quietly carried the weight of family expectations, cultural identity, and the pressure to achieve while struggling to find a therapist who genuinely understands. It’s exhausting to feel torn between what’s expected of you and what you want for yourself.

I also work with many neurodivergent professionals, such as engineers, attorneys, medical professionals and other detail-oriented, intellectually driven adults. Perhaps you suspect you are autistic or have ADHD, or you have a diagnosis and are still working out what it actually means for how you live, work, and relate to others. If you have always processed the world differently and are ready to understand that difference with real depth and precision rather than generic coping advice, I can help you do exactly that.

Or perhaps you are in the middle of one of the most significant life transitions, that of building a family. Whether you are trying to conceive, moving through pregnancy, coping with pregnancy or infant loss, or rediscovering your identity and relationships in the postpartum period, this is complex terrain that deserves thoughtful, specialized support from someone who truly understands this experience.

What connects all of these experiences is a thoughtful, self-aware adult just like you, who holds themselves to high standards, has rarely found a threapist where their full complexity is understood, and is ready to invest in one.

Get Started with a Free 20-minute Phone Consultation

how therapy with me can help you:

Therapy with me is compassionate, individualized, and grounded in genuine understanding of who you are and where you come from. I start with you - your history, your cultural context, your neurology, and your goals - and we build from there. Whether you are navigating cultural identity, a neurodivergent diagnosis, or the profound transition of building a family, I bring both clinical expertise and real-world understanding to support you in a way that feels relevant and attuned.

I draw on a holistic approach that integrates meaningful insight from your past with practical tools for your present. We will explore how early experiences, cultural expectations, and the unique way your mind works have shaped how you show up in your relationships, career, and sense of self. The goal is not just to help you cope more effectively, it is to help you make decisions that feel deeply aligned with who you are.

Pansy sees clients in person at our Englewood, Colorado office and virtually throughout Colorado.

about me:

I was born in Hong Kong and grew up between Australia and the United States. Navigating multiple cultures, identities, and expectations from an early age shaped both who I am and how I work as a therapist. As an Asian American therapist, I bring cultural awareness and sensitivity to every client relationship and I am a strong advocate for honoring individual differences and the complexity of lived experience.

My personal experiences have shaped a deeper understanding of neurodivergence in ways that go beyond clinical training. I have close relationships with people in my life who have autism, ADHD, and are in medical and engineering fields which means I have spent considerable time meaningfully immersed with individuals who are analytical, detail-oriented, and intellectually curious. I understand how this kind of mind works and what makes generic approaches fall flat for this population. This allows me to offer therapy that feels more relevant, nuanced, and tailored.

Outside of work, I spend time with family and friends, get lost in a good book, explore different cuisines, and explore new places whenever I can. I also enjoy gardening and spend each summer tending to my vegetable and flower garden.

Fun fact: I attended the red carpet event for Batman Forever in Hong Kong when I was a teenager and was mistakenly identified as a famous movie star’s daughter in the local paper!

Get Started with a Free 20-minute Phone Consultation

schedule with Pansy:

You approach important decisions carefully and deliberately. Choosing the right therapist should be no different. If you are ready to invest in understanding yourself more fully, whether you are navigating cultural identity, family expectations, a neurodivergent diagnosis, or the transition of building a family, Pansy would love to connect with you.