Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy

 


Living with a different type of mind in a world that’s not built for you is challenging at best.

If you’re autistic or an ADHDer (or curious about whether those or other diagnoses align with your experience) you may have received messages from family, peers, teachers, or bosses throughout your lifetime that you’re too much, not enough, or somehow both.

Even though there’s been so much more awareness around neurodivergence in recent years, society still has a long way to go when it comes to understanding differences and meaningfully including and accommodating them.

Some folks struggle and feel shame about not being able to show up in the way that neurotypical society demands. Others appear to be doing well on the outside, while internally experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety, often culminating in meltdowns, shutdowns, or burnout.

As a clinician with neurodivergent lived experience and who embraces and values differences, I use a neurodivergent-affirming lens. Neurodivergent-affirming clinicians normalize and celebrate the idea that all types of minds exist. We don’t view differences as deficits, and clients are the best experts on themselves.

Because clients vary so much in what they may need, therapy with neurodivergent clients can look many different ways, and you get to decide what’s important to you and ultimately what you’d like to work on in therapy.

As some examples, we might:

  • Help you to better identify what’s contributing to your stress and anxiety

  • Discuss new ways to accommodate yourself, and to ask for what you need

  • Talk about, and have you try out, new coping strategies

  • Have a nuanced conversation about masking or unmasking

  • Unpack how experiencing trauma and ableism across your lifespan has impacted you

Rather than trying to fit you into a one-size-fits-all box, we will pull from the modalities that make the most sense and if necessary, adjust them to your specific needs.

Many clients are exploring neurodivergence for the first time later in life. I don’t provide diagnostic services for ADHD or autism, but if you are interested in pursuing a formal diagnosis, I am happy to coordinate referrals and support you while you undergo the assessment process. From there, we can integrate what you learn from the evaluation, or what the process brings up for you, into our work.

No matter how you identify or what your needs may be, my therapy approach always includes exploring your challenges AND strengths, understanding your personal history including the role of trauma, and considering systems and the broader world we live in.

If you’re interested in working together, please feel free to reach out here and we’ll schedule some time to talk!