Affirming Therapy for Neurodivergent People
While my therapy practice is strengths-based and affirming for all people, neurodivergent and neurotypical alike, I specialize in working with late-diagnosed Autistic and/or ADHD people, and those who are wondering if they may be neurodivergent.
I believe Autism and ADHD are neurobiological differences to be accommodated and celebrated, not disorders to be treated.
Learning that you’re Autistic or ADHD, especially as an adult, typically comes with a mix of emotions including relief, uncertainty, grief, anger, fear, excitement, hope, and often, a nearly spontaneous unburdening of lifelong shame.
My clients often breathe sighs of deep relief when they learn that:
there’s a real reason for their struggles;
they’re not “broken,” “lazy,” or “incompetent,”
there’s a whole community of people like them;
and that with the right education, tools, and support, they can live a life of much more ease, joy, and connection than they currently have.
What’s different about neurodiversity-affirmative therapy?
Many clients I work with have had painful experiences in past therapy where, despite their therapist being caring and skilled, their Autism and/or ADHD was missed entirely, misdiagnosed as “just” anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or even a personality disorder, or viewed as something to “treat” or “cure.” This is particularly common for women and girls, trans and non-binary people, and people of color, all of whom research indicates are more likely to have their neurodivergence missed or misdiagnosed.
They may have left past therapy with feelings of brokenness and failure when, for example, no amount of CBT, exposure therapy, “social skills,” or EMDR could really help rid them of their sensory sensitivities, chronic overwhelm with life’s everyday demands, or social confusion.
Because I deeply understand Autism and ADHD, receive ongoing training and consultation in this area, and am neurodivergent myself, I can offer my clients something different than these past therapy experiences. Here, your strengths will be celebrated; your struggles will be recognized and supported; and therapy will be adapted to suit your unique brain and nervous system’s needs.
Rather than seeking to “treat” Autism or ADHD themselves, neurodiversity-affirmative therapy focuses on learning about your unique neurotype and your needs, developing tools to make your daily life easier and more fulfilling, processing this new shift in your identity, and healing from all the shame, rejection, and pain of living in a world not built for you. The therapy approaches that I use, including IFS, EMDR, and Brainspotting, are particularly helpful, gentle, and effective for helping Autistic and ADHD folks heal from trauma, anxiety, shame, self-loathing, rejection, and chronic stress.
My clients often remark that as a result of the work we do together, they feel understood and seen for who they really are, that their whole life finally makes sense, and that they’re able to have true self-compassion and self-love for the first time in their lives.
What is the neurodiversity movement?
“Neurodivergent” is an umbrella term that describes an individual person or group of people with any innate or acquired difference in a person’s brain or nervous system. Basically, it means a person’s neurology diverges, or differs, from what’s considered “normal” by a group of people or society. The term “neurodivergent” includes Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, OCD, bipolar, complex PTSD, schizophrenia, traumatic brain injuries, and more.
In the late 1990s, the term “neurodiversity” was coined by autistic community organizers, and then in the 2010s the term “neurodivergent” was first used by Kassiane Asasumasu to include more than autistic neurotypes. The Neurodiversity Movement celebrates neurobiological differences as a natural aspect of human diversity, just like gender, race, body shape and size, and cultural diversity. It is rooted in disability justice movements, including the social model of disability, and connected to many other social movements.
As the neurodiversity movement has picked up steam in recent years, the mental health field is increasingly recognizing that therapy is not a “one size fits all” service, and what works for neurotypical people to feel better isn’t necessarily the same as what neurodivergent people need to heal, grow, and thrive in a world that wasn’t built for them.
If you’re ready to experience therapy designed for your neurodivergent brain, reach out today.
Interested in a diagnostic assessment with me, rather than therapy, to explore possible ADHD and/or Autism?