Neurodivergence
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is “the diversity of human minds, the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning within our species.”- Dr. Nick Walker (read more here!) Neurodiversity is a fact of life- all brains are different!
What is Neurodivergence?
Neurodivergence, or being neurodivergent, means having a brain that works differently from the way that mainstream society or dominant culture would expect. Different communities use the term neurodivergence to refer to different things, but is commonly used to refer to people with diagnoses of autism, ADHD, Tourette’s, OCD, dyslexia, epilepsy, sensory processing disorder, and other conditions or disorders affecting sensory processing and communication.
What is Neurodivergence-affirming therapy?
Therapy with neurodivergent folks is focused on a client’s unique challenges and includes thinking about coping skills and reflecting on how the experience of being neurodivergent impacts development, current and past relationships, and emotion regulation. This could include:
- exploring how your unique needs related to neurodivergence might contribute to other mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, substance use, or disordered eating.
- exploring how growing up neurodivergent in a society with neurotypical norms contributed to experiences like isolation, bullying, relationship or academic challenges and feeling othered/misunderstood
- processing how neurodivergence impacts your understanding of your gender or sexuality
- processing a new diagnosis of autism, ADHD, or others given in adulthood
- helping you identify feelings and using stimming and other forms of self-expression to regulate emotions
Neurodivergence-affirming therapy can include elements of sensorimotor psychotherapy, ACT, DBT, ERT, narrative therapy and expressive arts and mindfulness. ART can also be a helpful tool to process specific traumatic events related to growing up neurodivergent in a neurotypical world. Neurodivergence-affirming therapy will be uniquely tailored to your behavioral needs to: fidget or “stimm” (fidget toys are welcome and available in session!), move about the room, adjust eye contact and communication style, or shift session location between in person and virtual.