Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is a term that is meant to encompass the many different ways people function and exist in the world. There is an endless amount of diversity in our minds and no way of being is inherently good or bad, even though some may make it easier to exist in the world as it is right now.

What is neurodivergence?

Neurodivergence is an umbrella term to describe individuals who are considered to think, feel, or act in ways that diverge from what is considered "normal" or neurotypical in the society one exists in. This can be acquired (something happened to you in the course of your life) or genetic (you were born that way).

What are some diagnoses that tend to fit under the label of neurodivergence? 

There are many! While neurodivergence is often used as a term to refer to autism and ADHD , there are a myriad of diagnoses that might be considered types of neurodivergence, including learning disabilities, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and personality disorders.

What is neurodiversity-affirming therapy? What kinds of issues do you work with?

I tend to see neurodiversity-affirming therapy as a way of approaching my work with clients that is more collaborative and focused on helping you attain your own best life and cope with the stress of expectations that might not be a good fit for you rather than trying to "fix you" or "reduce symptoms". Some concerns that neurodivergent people might come to therapy to work on include:

• Difficulties in relationships and communication with others that lead to you feeling misunderstood

• Executive functioning struggles - issues with focus, getting tasks done, switching between tasks

• Workplace expectations that feel overwhelming

• Burnout and feeling like you can't keep up with people's expectations or standards

• Finding out about or being curious about a diagnosis later in life

• Just wanting to understand your own brain better!