Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy
Your neurodivergence is a strength, not a weakness.
At ECC, our therapists will help you learn to work with your brain, rather than fighting against it.
What is Neurodivergence?
The term neurodiversity was coined by Australian disability rights activist Judy Singer. According to the Cleveland Clinic, neurodivergence or neurodiversity are nonmedical terms that describe the variations in human neurology that impact how the human brain works. People who are neurodivergent experience different strengths and challenges than those who do not have those neurological differences. Although some people who are neurodivergent may have medical conditions, learning disabilities, and other conditions, others may not have a medical condition or an identifiable diagnosis.
Examples of common neurodivergent conditions include:
Autism or autism-spectrum disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Depression
Anxiety
Learning disorders
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex PTSD (CPTSD)
By contrast, neurotypical is a nonmedical term used to describe people whose strengths and challenges are not affected by a difference that changes how their brain works, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Ultimately, these nonmedical terms aim to empower people with neurological differences to identify and embrace those differences, rather than trying to suppress or hide them.
What Is Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy?
Rather than trying to suppress behaviors and symptoms that deviate from what is considered neurotypical, neurodivergent-affirming therapy is a therapeutic approach to treatment and overarching philosophy that neurodivergence is not something that needs to be fixed or corrected, but rather something that can be seen as a strength, even with its challenges.
With a neurodivergent-affirming approach, the therapist collaborates with the client to figure out a modality that feels right for them, and use it to build on their individual strengths. Common goals often include building a better understanding of the client's specific experience of neurodiversity/condition, cultivating acceptance and self-compassion, and developing individualized coping skills to manage distress related to functioning in a neurotypical society.
Every person expends energy trying to fit in with our peers and social norms, and often neurodiverse individuals can have increased difficulty navigating this, from trying to mask or hide their symptoms, to trying to decipher social cues, to experiencing sensory overwhelm, and so many other reasons. In neurodivergent-affirming therapy, the therapist works with the individual to identify how this manifests in their daily life, and how it impacts their relationships, their work and school, and more.
Similar to trauma-informed therapy that recognizes the unique impact of trauma on an individual’s mental health, or LGBTQ-affirming therapy that recognizes the unique impact that a person’s sexual or gender identity has on an individual’s mental health, neurodivergent-affirming therapy is a form of cultural competence. Neurodivergent-affirming therapists are working to be aware of potential biases, understand the nuances of neurodiversity, and trust the client’s own experiences.
Modalities Used in Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy
There is no one modality that is considered harmful or helpful when engaging in neurodivergent affirming therapy. What is most important in neurodivergent-affirming therapy is how a modality and related treatment interventions are applied. Neurodivergent folks often experience frustration with providers that don’t take the time to understand why a certain intervention or approach isn’t working and this can lead to clients choosing to disengage from therapy that could potentially be helpful.
A few therapy modalities can be very effective for supporting neurodivergent clients:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy –– ACT starts with identifying what is important to the person seeking therapy, i.e., their values, and what is keeping them from being able to move towards them. This approach acknowledges that there will be hard things in life, but that as we work towards those values, we will experience less suffering––just like it can be hard to move through life with a neurodivergent brain, but there are still important values or goals to work towards.
Somatic Experiencing Therapy –– Somatic experiencing therapy, and other body-based grounding techniques, can help manage or process discomfort and distress in different ways than traditional talk therapy.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy –– DBT-inspired techniques can provide tangible skills to help regulate emotions, manage sensory overwhelm and meltdowns, and build neurodivergent-friendly mindfulness skills.
Narrative Therapy –– Growing up neurodivergent in a neurotypical world often results in many shame-based beliefs and stories being created about oneself. Narrative therapy can be one modality for exploring those stories and how they influence a person’s interactions with the world, and determining how to rewrite those stories to affirm the wholeness of the neurodivergent brain.
What are the Benefits of Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy?
Historically, the healthcare system has not been helpful to or supportive of neurodivergent people, and neurodiversity was not respected as a natural part of the human population. Treatment of neurodivergence, including traditional psychotherapy or "talk therapy," has long centered around suppressing symptoms and forcing conformity to socially acceptable or “neurotypical” behavior. These treatments were the culmination of what’s known as “neurotypical bias,” or using neurotypical behavior as the standard for mental health, which causes harm to neurodivergent people by exacerbating the mental exhaustion and stress of masking their symptoms, as well as by over-pathologizing behaviors that aren’t harmful, like stimming. Neurotypical bias is still very prevalent within the mental healthcare system today, but thanks to the work of Judith Singer and many healthcare professionals, a shift in neurodivergent-affirming therapy is underway. (Read more on this in our blog post.)
The fundamental benefit of neurodivergent-affirming therapy is that it works with the person’s brain, rather than against it. The therapist works with the client to discern when different behaviors are healthy self-regulations, versus maladaptive.
Another benefit is the self-trust and acceptance that it builds in clients as they learn to embrace and build on their strengths. Each person’s experience of neurodiversity will be unique, and it can be very healing to explore those aspects in a therapy setting where that is affirmed and celebrated.
Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy Near You
Moving through the world as a neurodivergent person can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, at times exciting as you realize how uniquely your brain functions, and other times exhausting as you face engrained social biases and misunderstanding. Having a safe space to explore these experiences with a therapist who trusts your perspective can help you build self-acceptance, confidence, and contentment.
At ECC, we offer neurodivergent-affirming therapy for clients of all ages, applying multidisciplinary methods to create a unique experience suited to each individual’s needs and goals. Reach out to schedule an intake session today.
