Embracing Neurodiversity: Your Path to Affirming Assessment and Therapy
by Thảo-Châu Trịnh, Psy.D. and Amara Brook, Ph.D.
The Neurodivergent Umbrella
Everyone has differences in how their brain processes their environment. Those differences can lead to unique ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. We call this “Neurodiversity.” An individual who experiences differences in thinking and brain processing might consider themselves “Neurodivergent.” A neurodivergent person can have many layers to their experience, similar to the different panels of an umbrella. For some neurodivergent people, these differences are more noticeable to others, and to themselves. They may look, act, or behave in ways that are more similar to the stereotype of a neurodivergent individual. Others might not show all of the signs of neurodivergence that people are familiar with. Or, they may be so adept at hiding (a.k.a. masking) their different thinking style, that they don’t even realize they are neurodivergent themselves. A psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation can help people learn about their neurodivergence.
Redefining “Normal”
Historically, medical and mental health care has been based on a narrow definition of what it means to have “normal” brain functioning. This approach leaves people who might fall outside of these so-called norms feeling excluded, less than, and stigmatized as being “bad” or “defective.” The concept of neurodiversity challenges the notion of normal, by acknowledging that differences such as Autism, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, or giftedness, are a part of the diversity of the human brain. So it’s important to find a provider who understands, accepts and supports this diversity among us.
A Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach
The concept of neurodiversity honors and values individual differences in how our brains develop and work. Affirming and respecting these differences has become best practice for neuropsychological assessment and therapy. By celebrating and harnessing the inherent strengths of neurodiverse individuals, we move away from the attempts to “fix” them to become more neurotypical or “normal”. Instead, neurodiversity-affirming providers listen to the person’s own goals and needs. Developing strategies that prioritize those goals and accommodate those needs will best help them be successful at school and work.
Examples of Neurodiversity-Affirming Assessment and Therapy
Autism (ASD)
Usually, an Autistic person has differences in their social communication and behavior. This may look like a distinct way of making friends, a different style of eye contact, or trying to steer conversation to specific topics. However, some Autistics are very talkative and outgoing, and can easily converse about topics outside of their strong interests. They just strongly prefer their interests, and find intense joy and comfort in connecting with others through those specific interests. A neurodiversity-affirming provider will focus on harnessing those interests and natural way of communicating to help build social connection.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
A person with ADHD might have trouble paying attention to things that don’t interest them, and get easily distracted. Others might only have trouble when it’s very noisy or busy around them. They may even hyper-focus on things that interest them. A person with ADHD may also feel fidgety, or have a LOT of energy. Others might have very little energy, unless they are doing something that their brain perceives as risky or exciting. A neurodiversity-affirming provider will work to understand what environment and activities help a person focus, to tailor strategies to meet the client’s goals. Rather than looking at fidgeting or hyper-focusing as bad behavior that needs to stop, the therapy emphasizes what is most important–their health, safety, happiness, and ability to learn! By helping the person become more aware of how their body is responding to their environment, day-to-day life can feel less stressful.
Dyslexia
Dyslexic brains process language and/or visual symbols differently. This can affect reading and spelling in unique ways. While some dyslexics might reverse letters or see things backwards, others have trouble hearing the sounds in language. Or, they may have trouble spelling words based on how they sound. Some dyslexics struggle to decode new words and learn to read by memorizing. Others may be skilled at decoding, but don’t remember words easily – so they have to decode almost every word they read. A neurodiversity-affirming provider seeks to understand how the person learns most easily. They provider will support continued growth in this strength while also building up the more difficult skills. Using technology to make things easier and embracing different styles of learning are two other essential elements to neurodiversity-affirming intervention. Hopefully, this can help foster a love for reading and learning!
Giftedness/ Twice-Exceptional (2E)
Gifted people have exceptional talents and abilities that set them apart from others. However, these skills do not always feel like gifts because they can make it harder to find like-minded peers. Also, giftedness when combined with a learning disability or other difference like ADHD often hides a person’s struggles. This leads to misunderstanding. A neurodiversity-affirming provider will help the person understand, recognize and harness their own strengths, while also creating personalized strategies to ease strain in the areas that are hard for them.
What to look for in a Neurodiversity-Affirming provider
Finding a neurodiversity-affirming therapist or evaluator can be challenging, especially since this approach is relatively new. There are still many spaces where neurodivergence is seen through a deficit lens. Thus, knowing what to look for in a provider can help you find collaborative support for your journey. Here are some questions to ask and qualities to observe:
How do they talk about your neurodivergence?
Does it sound like they attempt to “fix” the person or try to get rid of an “undesired” behavior? Or do they use strengths-based therapy to nurture neurodiverse individuals and help them find people and environments that suit them best. By honoring differences, a neurodiversity-affirming provider builds confidence and develops skills to navigate their challenges.
Is their office a sensory-friendly environment?
Is it quiet, but with an option for music or other soothing noises? Can they adjust the light for someone who is sensitive to brightness? Are there a few different seating options, and enough room to pace if you need to? Do they have fidgets and other sensory toys available to help with self-regulation while talking about difficult subjects or working on challenging tasks?
Will the provider adapt their communication style?
Will they use sign language, technology or other tools to communicate nonverbally if needed? Can they incorporate visual aids or art to fit the preference of the person?
How do they identify goals for the therapy?
Does the therapist evaluate and set out the treatment plan themselves? Or do they promote independence and autonomy of the person by working with them in developing their goals and interventions?
Is the provider willing to advocate for the person’s needs?
Will they work with employers or school staff to help them understand how to best support neurodivergent individuals? This could mean writing a letter, talking on the phone to teachers or employers, or attending a school meeting to collaborate on a learning support plan.
Conclusion
Neurodiversity-affirming therapy helps clients find ways to better self-soothe or self-regulate while advocating for changes in their environment so that they can be their authentic selves. A neurodiversity-affirming evaluation helps clients understand themselves in a compassionate, validating, accepting way, and points towards strategies that empower the client and support their neurocognitive profile. By embracing differences in how our brains work, we can help each other increase understanding, awareness, and empathy, and create a more positive environment for all neurodivergent people in the future.
Get a Neurodiversity Affirming Evaluation for Your Child in Berkeley or San Francisco, CA
Psychoeducational and Neuropsychological tests are administered by a dedicated Licensed Psychologist (or Licensed Educational Psychologist). The analysis you receive from Mind Matters helps you tailor their accommodations and interventions to your child’s needs. This test can pave the path of success for your child. Follow these steps to get started:
- Reach out to our intake coordinator to ask questions and find the best evaluator for your child
- Schedule your child’s evaluation at our Berkeley office or our San Francisco office
- Understand your child better, and learn how to help them thrive
Other Services We Offer in the San Francisco Bay Area
In addition to psychoeducational and neuropsychological evaluations, we provide neurodevelopmental screenings and autism testing. We attend school meetings for our clients too. If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, we offer parent guidance sessions to help you decide on next steps. If you want to know how we can help support you and your neurodivergent child reach out to us.