NEURODIVERSE AFFIRMING THERAPY

​Exploring treatment that encourages one's strengths and differences​

Jess Dinsmore—Administrative Coordinator

Psychotherapy can be a helpful tool for those with neurodivergent conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and various learning disabilities.

Historically, neurodivergence was seen as an illness or disorder that needed to be fixed or changed. Thankfully, it is now understood and encouraged that neurodiversity is a strength that improves our society, emphasizing that seeking a neurodiversity-affirming therapist can be imperative.  When you receive your assessment report, many psychologists recommend psychotherapy to help with emotional regulation, behaviour management, and self-esteem/coping skills.

Neurodiversity-affirming care is a therapeutic approach that focuses on treatment plans and an environment that encourages one’s strengths. This means that your therapist will not see your neurodivergence as something that needs to be “fixed” or a weakness but rather as a strength that can be fostered. Our species needs neurotypical and neurodiverse brains in our environment to thrive, and it can be highly damaging to encourage individuals to act more neurotypically.

Neurodiversity-affirming therapists will ensure they honour the unique challenges, strengths, barriers, and necessities that neurodiverse individuals face daily. It is important not to hinder one’s strengths or teach one to hide who one is.

For instance, masking is a challenge that many neurodivergent individuals experience. Masking occurs when neurodivergent individuals act in a way that may be more “socially acceptable” by hiding specific impulses and behaviours. This can be harmful to individuals and ultimately lead to burnout. Some therapies in the past have involved methods to teach neurodivergent individuals to hide these behaviours. For instance, teaching individuals with ASD to mask self-soothing behaviours such as stimming (rocking, repeating words, hand flapping, etc.).

Neurodiverse-affirming therapists ensure they approach therapy from a culturally sensitive perspective, keeping current on ongoing training and remaining aware of their biases. In addition, they support individuals with an individualized approach that honours their unique challenges and strengths. There is no denying that neurodiverse individuals face unique challenges every day, and therapy can be a helpful tool to help manage them.

Within neurodiverse-affirming therapy, the goal is to ensure that everyone has access to care. This includes flexible online booking, sending out several automated appointment reminders, ensuring clear expectations, providing visual information when needed, and fostering a sensory-inclusive space.

As we know, various disorders can coexist with ADHD, including anxiety, depression, mood disorders, substance use disorders, and sleep disorders. Therapy can be helpful in effectively exploring the origin of these conditions while helping individuals develop coping skills and tools to deal with these daily concerns. Therapy can also be a helpful tool for individuals who are living with loved ones who are neurodivergent, such as a partner, child, sibling, or parent.

If you’re looking for a therapist, you can visit https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca and filter for the specific needs you’re looking for, or feel free to reach out, and we can help provide some recommendations in the area! A