Neurodivergence-Informed & Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy
The Neurodiversity Movement
The Neurodiversity Movement was developed in response to autism advocates to move away from the medical and pathologized paradigm of seeing neurodivergence through a deficit and dysfunctional lens. This lens associated recovery with being cured or fixed effectively restoring neurodivergent function to a level of normalcy.
The Neurodiversity Movement promotes moving towards a non-pathologizing perspective whilst advocating for neurocognitive diversity as a natural variation of human minds, equally deserving of respect, dignity and support.
Neurodiversity paradigm
Its aims are to:
• place emphasis on developing a society that creates spaces that are equally inclusive of all neurotypes.
• provide a framework for understanding that human brains develop differently and therefore have natural variation, ability and disability
• communication differences are as a result of a two-way relational difficulty
• consider the importance of intersectionality and increase understanding of how our different identity dimensions influence, inform and shape who we are individually and collectively
To begin developing a framework for this movement the concept of Neurodivergence informed/Neurodivergent Affirming therapy was created from a neurodiversity perspective for therapists working with neurodivergent clients.
Neurodivergence-Informed Therapy / Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy
Its aims are to:
• broaden the lens within which we view neurological differences/divergences
• ensure therapists working with neurodivergence have a good understanding of the differences unique to each neurotype
• ensure therapists have knowledge about the way in which these differences may present and change across a life span
• consider the importance of intersectionality and how identities can impact experiences and development within individuals