Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy

Psychotherapy has changed drastically in the last 30 years, let alone its entire existence. We came from spiritual roots to behavioral interventions in the mid 20th century. From there, we began to move toward more integrative forms of therapy. This happened as learned more about our brains’ and bodies’ reactions to the world around us. Neurodivergent affirming therapy is the latest of these phenomena in the field of psychotherapy.

The term neurodiversity has been circulating since the 1990s and early 2000s. However, it has hit more mainstream audiences within the last 5 or so years.

Clinicians around the globe have adopted a lens called “neurodivergent affirming therapy” into their practice approach. This lens includes the insights offered by the movement into treatment.

In this article I will begin by defining neurodivergent affirming therapy. Then we will discuss some of the important pillars of neurodivergent affirming therapy. We will also touch briefly on how they affect how we view and treat mental health.

Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy

What is Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy?

The best way for us to define neurodivergent affirming therapy is to break it down. I am an avid word enthusiast, so I will break down each word and formulate the meaning from that.

Neurodivergent

“Neurodivergent” refers to certain conditions previously labeled as disorders being viewed as positive parts of our identities rather than “disorders”. There are many conditions that span neurodiversity. I cover them here in this article.

Affirming

“Affirming” is using encouragement to view your neurodivergence as a positive characteristic of yourself. We use an affirming lens in therapy for LGBTQIA+ folx, therapy for people of color, therapy for folx of different cultures, and in many other settings. The idea is to see parts of the individual’s identity and practice awareness to it as we intervene in therapy.

Therapy

Finally, “therapy” is simply the act of changing yourself for the better. So, altogether we are changing you for the better while being aware that your brain functions and is wired a specific way. And that’s okay!

For a more comprehensive definition of neurodiversity, check out this article written by autistic UK.

Neurtypical vs Neurodivergence

Neurodiversity’s opposite is what we coin in the field as “neurotypical”. Essentially, being neurotypical means that your brain functions in a way that the majority of people in our society’s brains function.

Practicing neurodivergent affirming therapy is great for neurotypical folx. It allows us as practitioners at the very core of our practice to be sensitive to our differences.

This can mean big differences like in neurodivergence, or smaller differences that tend to show up from person to person. Being aware of as many of our divergences as possible gives us a clearer picture of what the problem may be stemming from in therapy.

Anybody who has been in therapy knows that the clearer the picture the more effective the solution. Practicing neurodivergent affirming therapy is the next step our field is taking in making sure that we practitioners are as inclusive as possible for clients of all backgrounds.

Historically, we have needed to broaden our lens to include racial differences, geographical differences, cultural differences, sexual differences, identity differences, socioeconomic differences, and now neurological differences. The goal is that we can better understand ourselves, our mental health, and how to best treat mental illness.

Each of these facets of our identities play a major role in mental health treatment. After all, our differences are what make us beautiful!

So it’s important for us to celebrate them all! In the following sections I’ll talk about some great aspects of Neurodivergent affirming therapy and how they contribute to the way we view and treat mental health.

1. Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Adds A New Leg To The Diversity Movement

Like I briefly mentioned, Neurodivergent affirming therapy adds to the neurodiversity movement by including neurodivergent presentation at the same level of other identities we hold.

This means that our neurological differences are viewed in the same lens as culture/race, gender, socioeconomic status, and many other aspects of our identities. We must add Neurodivergence to this list of identities is the latest in the fight for inclusiveness in our world today.

Learning to see and accept our own neurodiversity in neurodivergent affirming therapy allows us to truly and fully accept ourselves for who we are unconditionally. By naming exactly who we are, what our problems are, and where they come from we are best able to manage ourselves as well as others around us.

Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy

Take it from a therapist–that’s a healthy way to live!

Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy and Anti-Racism

A great addition to the idea of diversity is that neurodivergent affirming therapy is also anti-racist in nature. Using an approach similar to cultural humility, neurodivergent affirming therapy adds a new leg to our diversity movement through sensitivity and awareness of racial impacts on our clients.

In order for us to be anti-racist and culturally humble it is important for us to approach working with folx with the openness and sensitivity to the fact that we all have different life experiences. Specific causes for mental health problems in one group of people may not be as prevalent in another.

Therefore, treatment looks different for folx of color, folx who identify as non-cis gendered, and now folx who have different neurodivergences. Taking these factors of our identities into account is another large step toward more inclusivity in mental health treatment.

This may all seem complex–because it is! The diversity movement along with neurodivergent affirming therapy all highlight the complexities of the human condition.

A reoccurring theme you will continue to hear me say it in this article is that the more sensitive and aware we are to our divergences, the better treatment outcomes can be in therapy. Besides, who doesn’t love a little more inclusivity?

Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy

2. Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Challenges Our Current View On Mental Illness

This is probably one of my favorite factors of neurodivergent affirming therapy. Certain disorders are not viewed as disorders here. They are viewed as culturally and individually recognizable and equitable differences in all people.

This means that there can be differences in our sensory processing, cognitive processing, emotional processing, expression, and many other neurological processes across the Neurodivergent spectrum.

Instead of viewing them as “disorders”, they’re viewed as differences or divergences.

Divergences Making Life Harder

You may be thinking “how could this be?” “Don’t these things make life harder for you?” I can’t count the number of people who have tried to convince me to take meds for my ADHD because of how my way of doing things was inconvenient for them.

The truth is yes, these characteristics can make life harder for us and people around us. But we absolutely can practice working within our abilities to have an easier time managing ourselves. Regardless of how we process our experiences, we still process them.

We can accomplish the same things neurotypical people can. We just need to figure ourselves out first so we can put ourselves in the best environment to succeed.

These facts have been present throughout our study of conditions like ADHD, autism, OCD, tourettes, dyspraxia, dyslexia, trauma, and other neurodivergences. Mental illness is a mental process getting in the way of our ability to manage a healthy lifestyle.

Factors that affect our lifestyle are so numerous I couldn’t begin to define all of them in this article! What neurodivergent affirming therapy focuses on primarily is removing mental health stigma related to differences in neurological processing.

This really is a call to awareness to neurotypical people that there are more than one way to manage ourselves and some of us use different resources to do so that may not be deemed “typical”.

Once neurotypical people are aware of our differences, the next step is to practice acceptance of our differences. A great cultural place for us to start this movement is in therapy.

“Fixing” Neurodivergence In Therapy

Data has shown that “therapies” that try to “fix” neurodiversity have little to no effect and can actually be harmful to us. As neuroscience continues to emerge and interweave with the clinical sciences we are learning that people are simply different.

A divergent brain is often times NOT a sick one. Adopting the neurodivergent affirming therapy lens shifts to a more holistic view of what causes mental illness.

We are left with an interesting question when faced with our diagnoses: is this an illness or a divergence? Divergences must be treated differently in therapy. Successful adaptation will come with affirmation of divergences.

That’s the goal of therapy, right? Change and successful adaptation.

So in our assessments it is important to assess whether there is an organic problem that needs addressing or if we are processing our experiences in a way that cause us to self-judge or receive judgement from others.

You most likely know how unpleasant self-judging is. Imagine if you were judged for something you had no control over and it was held against you.

This is why we must shift the paradigm to neurodivergent affirming therapy.

3. Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Emphasizes Strengths Rather Than Differences

As a social worker this factor is music to my ears! Neurodivergent affirming therapy highlights and affirms your strengths as a unique person. It does not attempt to point out your differences as negative and a hindrance.

We as people are so good at fixating on the negatives of life. It is actually an incredible survival mechanism that’s gotten us here today! In neurodivergent affirming therapy we tend to try to focus more on the strengths of the individual vs the hindrances.

Anybody who has been trained as a therapist in school knows that this is the best route to go with all folx for successful therapy. Research shows this and anybody who has been to therapy will tell you this.

Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy

But wouldn’t it be nicer if we practices a little self-love in our own lives? Especially for those of us who have been told that we are “not enough” growing up because of our neurological differences.

Neurodivergent affirming therapy introduces this idea to the neurodivergent client as a foundation of treatment. For a lot of us, neurodivergent affirming therapy is the first time we’ve ever heard somebody say “I’m proud of you for being you” or “accept yourself because you are inherently good despite your differences”.

Hearing these affirmations is necessary to begin the healthiest path to affirming our neurodivergences in therapy.

How To Approach Neurodivergent Children And Adults

A common thing I see especially from parents of neurodivergent children is that “they want to misbehave” or “make my life harder”. I’m not a parent currently, so I can’t say I fully understand where this sentiment comes from.

However, the sentiment that all people want to do the best with what they have is much more positive and accurate in most cases. This is a tenant of dialectical behavioral therapy and one of my favorite child clinicians Ross Greene.

I bring this up to show that this approach of giving neurodivergent folx the benefit of the doubt and working with them works better than trying to force them to overcome their differences. This works just as well for children through adulthood. So practice empathy with neurodivergent folx as much as possible because it’s vital for all of our success!

If we want to see the positive change we need in the world, it is important for us to recognize our differences as strengths.

ADHDers are great at hyper-fixating and thinking outside of the box. Autistic folx are very honest and analytical. OCDers are incredibly adept at assessing and keeping a space safe; as are trauma survivors. And so on.

In neurodivergent affirming therapy we need to know about these conditions so we can highlight what they do for you. Then we can move to address any hindrances that you may face while maintaining your strengths where they are.

Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy

4. Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Emphasizes Systemic Change

Systems are a massive factor in therapy. Neurotypical people created many of our systems. Many on the neurodivergent spectrum are pushing for a change for more inclusion.

This may include government of all levels, public spaces, economic spaces, internet spaces, familial and community spaces, as well as work and school settings. In neurodivergent affirming therapy you will learn to find your own light to help educate others around you about your strengths.

The United State’s Example

In the US specifically at our core we have a culturally accepted attitude which tends to be stoic, individualistic, and a “hard worker”. This is often indicative of overworking and prioritizing monetary gains over others.

Those that created the economic space we inhabit in the US (obviously) have created it in a way that values a certain approach to work. Neurodivergent folx are often labeled as having “disorders” because we struggle to perform in this way in many cases.

Many of us are not wired to operate within the confines of what we may deem as a “successful attitude” in the US. This is not a choice of ours, but rather something we were born with or acquired in many cases, as many of these divergences are present in our early childhood.

So think about things that cause us pain, sensory processing, emotional resilience, and many other factors that tend to play against us in our economic system in the US. We can conclude that our economic system was not originally designed with us (neurodivergent folx) in mind.

Connections To Other Forms Of Marginalization In The US

In fact, it was meant to exclude us and marginalize us. The method relates in ways similar to how other minority folx have been marginalized in our history. This way people who have an easier time adapting to rigid work conditions succeeded over their neurodivergent counterparts.

This is one example of a system that works against us for being neurodivergent, among others. And there are many more examples throughout the world of this marginalization.

Identifying yourself in your system is a major tenant of successful therapy. In neurodivergent affirming therapy I want you to see your light and discover the inner strength to speak up and make your voice heard from within the system you occupy.

Only then can we change our world for the better to be more inclusive of neurological differences.

Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy

5. Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Is Trauma Informed

Neurodivergent affirming therapy takes a broad spectrum of approaches to treating mental illness. Mentioned earlier were cultural humility/anti-racism and strengths-based approaches.

Another lens it can adopt easily is trauma informed care. The nature of trauma informed care is recognizing that our brains react to our environment based on what is called the adaptive information processing system. This means we experience an external stimulus and either adapt or react to it.

Trauma informed care can help sort out where specific symptoms of mental illness may come from–environment or organic.

Acquired Neurodiversity

In the trauma intersection with neurodiversity we also have a concept of “acquired neurodiversity”. This idea relates to trauma due to the fact that in trauma informed care we can interpret certain behaviors or symptoms that we experience as “acquired” from an experience(s) that has overwhelmed us.

For example, some people have different beliefs, physical reactions, processing abilities, focus abilities, mood ranges, and many other mental health factors that we acquired from an experience we had in life. In my own experience I have worked with folx who have seizures in response to extreme stress.

Others have OCD tendencies or are avoidant of certain people that remind them of people who have abused them in the past to keep themselves safe. Psychomotor reactions such as those we see in Tourette’s can also be caused by environmental factors as well as organic ones.

Our brains’ reactions to our innate blueprints as well as our environments can really produce a wide range of presentations.

In the case of neurodivergent affirming therapy we see differences in how the adaptive information system may work as well as what may be deemed traumatic to somebody vs what is not.

In neurotypical folx the spectrum of what may traumatize somebody may look different that something that may traumatize somebody who is neurodivergent. This is especially important in neurodivergent affirming therapy to be successful.

We must pay attention to how trauma affects us so we can manage it in the best way for our adaptation for a healthier future.

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6. Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Uses Cultural Humility

You’re probably starting to see how all these ideas come together at this point in the article! Tenants of cultural humility are also present in neurodivergent affirming therapy.

In neurodivergent affirming therapy we emphasize a sensitivity to people for their individual and cultural differences; as mentioned previously. This sensitivity is called cultural humility.

Along the same lines of trauma informed care, anti-racism, and anti-stigma approaches to care cultural humility highlights an awareness to cultural differences in people looking for therapy.

The one thing to take away from this article is that people are complex. Therefore, the way we assess and treat mental health must be able to take as much into account as possible.

Cultural Differences And Neurodiversity

Sensitivity to culture is inherent in Neurodivergent affirming therapy. The sensitivity and awareness we bring to neurological differences in folx is the same thing as in cultural humility.

Somebody from the United States will interpret and react to mental health treatment different than somebody from Europe, Eastern traditions, or other cultural systems.

This idea has been thoroughly researched and made much clearer that culture absolutely affects mental health treatment. I talk more about this idea in this article.

This does not only affect how we view mental health treatment and neurodivergence. It also helps us be successful in our treatment.

Recognizing that cultural differences in conjunction with neurodivergence helps us to create the most “all-encompassing” lens that we’ve been building throughout this article.

Successful mental health treatment tends to occupy a wide lens. It takes as much into account as possible in our assessments. This way we can have the clearest picture for what actually needs treatment.

Through cultural humility and neurodivergent affirming therapy we can better understand ourselves so that we have that much clearer a picture of what we need as individuals in mental health treatment.

7. Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Is Important For Everyone!

So humans are super complex. From culture to neurodivergence and beyond we all have differences that should be recognized and celebrated.

Historically there have been many attempts to squash this realization and make things more “objective” related to mental illness. There are helpful ideas that come from mental symptoms as “illnesses”. But we must remember that the grand majority of people experience mental health issues related to environmental factors mixed with innate factors that our medical model covers.

The medical model movement in mental health has failed to take highly important mechanisms into account in mental health. This is because in the US it is easier to look at mental health as something “wrong” with us that needs medications to “fix.”

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Anyone in the field of mental health knows that is not an effective way to look at treating mental health. This is why it is important to include neurodivergent affirming therapy. Using this lens can cause a positive cultural shift in how we view and treat mental health.

Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Final Thoughts

So culture absolutely affects our health. Economics affects our health. Culture affects our health, and many others. We all progress when our understanding and acceptance of our diversity progresses.

Knowing what is truly there is the key to making it better.

Difficult Realizations

A lot of these factors I mentioned in this article have been historically avoided due to the fact that they bring up many difficult realizations.

Many of them go without saying, especially in the US where there are a great deal of contentions among people in our systems currently. Neurodivergent affirming therapy along with these other tenants forces us to have those difficult conversations and realizations about ourselves.

In a lot of ways, I don’t blame us for this avoidance! It’s a natural coping strategy we tend to employ when confronted with difficult realities.

However, if we truly want the pain to subside we need to acknowledge it for what it truly is instead of trying to label it as something that is “less stigmatizing”.

Things are not as they always appear in humans–like I’ve said a million times we are complex. We are also dynamic in nature, meaning we change a lot over time.

This means that mental health treatment must be adaptable to the changing mind.

Final Conclusions

So by understanding and treating folx with neurodivergent affirming therapy we can further our own understanding of the brain and mental health. We also can begin to question our own cultural perspectives on how we view mental health.

Most importantly, with this newfound knowledge we can know how to best treat it moving forward.

Contact Me Directly!

All inquiries are responded to within 1-3 business days from inquiry. Feel free to use my contact information tomorrow to leave a message!

Hours: Monday-Thursday 12-7pm
Phone: (269) 350-3470
Email: antonio@michigancrs.com
Location: 1451 East Lansing Dr., Suite 219
East Lansing, MI 48823

References

https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1206&context=expressive_theses

7 thoughts on “7 Things To Know About Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy

  1. Ashley says:

    I hadn’t heard the term neurodivergent affirming therapy before, but it sounds like a lot of good stuff pulled into one approach.

    1. Antonio says:

      Oh it’s super interesting! I’m actually curious what your opinion might be on it, Ashley! I see it as a nice evolution to our view of how we manage mental health.

  2. Marie Masse says:

    YES TO ALL OF THIS! Not a therapist, but a 2e late-diagnosed Autistic ADHDer here. I was looking up Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy to inform some point I want to make during an upcoming board meeting (I’m on a non-profit board that’s opening a school for Neurodivergent kids) and this was incredibly helpful. THANK YOU.

    1. Antonio says:

      Hi Marie,

      Thanks so much for stopping by! We need more systemic knowledge of this material, and your work is the way we make that happen. Thanks you for your work!! Feel free to reach out if you have questions or if I can contribute in any way!

      –Antonio

  3. Meghan says:

    The emphasis on strengths rather than differences is so so important and powerful. Thank you for such a thoughtful article~

  4. Belinda Pruneda says:

    Is there a certification that an LPC can get on Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy? Genuinly interested if that would be a possibility.

    1. Antonio says:

      Hi there Belinda!

      To my knowledge there isn’t. Although, I would say you wouldn’t necessarily need a certification to practice. Simply go into working with folx with an open mind! Reading some great books on neurodiversity as well as checking out the rest of my blog on this topic is a fantastic way to start! More and more trainings are being worked on and released so stay tuned, I’m sure there’s gonna be some great stuff in the future!
      -Antonio

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