Welcome back to the second part of our brief two-part series on Neurodivergent-Affirming care! Part one discussed what neurodivergence is, what experiences/diagnoses fall under the umbrella of neurodivergence, and what some of the standard treatment options are in these areas. In this post we will look at the markers of neurodivergent-affirming care and how this can positively impact the therapy experience for neurodivergent folks. At Sedâ Psychotherapy, we uphold the principles of neurodivergent-affirming care because it elevates outcomes for neurodivergent folk, and enhances care for the people we support from all walks of life.
Principles of Neurodivergent-Affirming Care
Neurodivergent-affirming care is care that validates differences and keeps intersectionality front and centre. Intersectionality involves the acknowledgement that many factors play key roles in one’s experiences and challenges. Factors such as race, socioeconomic status, gender, sexuality, and ability/disability play a role in one’s day-to-day experiences, and contribute to both the strengths and the challenges we face. Neurodivergent-affirming care also recognizes that validating these experiences is an integral part of understanding who you are in this world. Factors such as your race, sexuality, gender identity, and neurodivergence are powerful parts of who you are, and should be honoured, respected, and celebrated. Neurodivergent-affirming care brings these aspects to the forefront (as appropriate for your experience), and encourages you to examine your relationship to these experiences.
Neurodivergent-affirming care respects your autonomy, recognizing that you are an individual with agency, freedom, and the right to make your own choices. You are a competent individual who chooses your own path, and a neurodivergent-affirming therapist knows that you are the expert on yourself and your lived experience. Neurodivergent-affirming practice places the client’s experience front and center, is non-judgmental, and the client is encouraged to advocate for themselves and their authentic lived experience. This type of practice actively rejects neuronormativity. The neurotypical person’s experience (as discussed in part one) is not superior to anyone else’s experience, and the neurotypical brain is not a point of neutrality from which other experiences deviate.
There are also some notable differences when it comes to access for neurodivergent-affirming care, including the basics of how care is made available. At its core, this type of care nurtures a positive self-identity. There is nothing wrong, flawed, or in need of fixing when it comes to having a neurodivergent brain. Instead, neurodivergent-affirming care emphasizes that the expectation for therapy can involve learning to adapt and function in better ways in a society that assumes neurotypicality is the norm. Put another way, this type of care helps you figure out how to better function in a societal structure that wasn’t necessarily built for the way your brain is wired up. This type of care encourages you to celebrate how your brain is wired up, and to change how you move through the world so it adapts to your unique structure. The goal is to lessen the stressors you may be used to encountering, and to be able to manage difficult feelings when you face frustration. If you’re navigating therapy as a neurodivergent person, your therapy practice can help make it more accessible by offering timeslots at different times of day (evenings and weekends too), sending reminders for appointments by email and/or text to you or even a close person who supports you in your wellness journey. A neurodivergent-affirming therapist can send you summaries of sessions and reminders about suggested activities (including homework or experiments to try between sessions, if that’s part of your mutually agreed-upon treatment plan). The neurodivergent-affirming therapist will work with you to establish things that make your sessions the most comfortable, including access to sensory supports (comfort items, music, the right temperature in the room being just a few examples) which can be negotiated even in a virtual therapy environment as well. Finally, a neurodivergent-affirming therapist honours all forms of communication, including verbal, non-verbal, artistic, creative, and reflective.
Neurodivergent-Affirming Care: A Higher Level of Support for All
These markers of neurodivergent-affirming care matter for many reasons. With this level of care, people feel seen regardless of where or if they fall within the rainbow of neurodiversity. As the old saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats - neurotypical people also benefit from attention to these facets of care. Neurodivergent-affirming care is built around the recognition that treatment for mental and emotional health challenges is not one size fits all; treatment that is considerate of individual needs and is nonjudgmental in nature is a path that benefits everyone.
At Sedâ Psychotherapy, our team is composed of therapists with both clinical and lived experience with neurodivergence, and we are eager to develop a treatment plan that has your unique needs at the core. If you are curious about the benefits of therapy for yourself and your needs, we welcome you to schedule a free 15 minute consultation with a member of our team.
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