It can be difficult functioning in a neurotypical world as someone who is neurodivergent. The way we think. The way we connect. The way we behave, and generally how we experience the world feels different than what our society has deemed as “normal.”
You have probably come across the overwhelming notion that exists in our world that neurodivergence (especially autism!) is something to be fixed and cured, rather than something to be accepted and accommodated. Whether you are autistic, ADHD, AuADHD, 2E (twice exceptional); or gifted, or whether you have sensory processing disorder, dyspraxia, alexithymia or some other brain difference, you know what we’re talking about. It’s exhausting to continually navigate a world that isn’t made for us, and even more exhausting to continually shape ourselves into an approximation of what the world wants.
When it comes to therapy, you need someone to support you in navigating this world as your authentic self, rather than trying to change you into someone that you will never be. The kind of therapy we provide won’t seek to “fix” or “change” your neurodivergence. We won’t convince you that your neurodivergence is your secret “super power” and downplay your very real challenges. We won’t reinforce your masking and then comment on how you don’t seem neurodivergent. We won’t ask you to “perform'' disability, or neurotypicality, or anything else. Oh, and we’re not into functioning labels.
Instead, we will hold space for the wholeness of who you are and invite you to show up. We’ll help you identify your challenges & uncover your strengths. Our clinicians will support you in finding strategies to not only get you through your day-to-day, but also in figuring out how to set and achieve goals for the future.
But it doesn’t stop there. Neurodivergence is connected to the social dynamics of systemic oppression, especially in a world that still privileges some brains and forms of functioning over others. As intersectional feminist therapists, we’ll ask you to challenge your internalized ableism as we continually challenge our own. This process looks different for everyone, but sometimes includes questions like:
What are my accommodation needs?
How can I begin the process of unmasking?
How can I meet my sensory needs?
How does Capitalism reinforce or shape my own behavior?
Throughout this process, we’ll examine the impact of trauma on your nervous system, and also hold the tension of our ongoing need for survival skills in this world. We’ll encourage you to reclaim the parts of yourself that this world has said can’t belong to you. We want you to feel embodied, whole, and empowered.
Whether or not you are on medication, diagnosed formally, self-diagnosed, identified as a child or as an adult, our clinicians will support you in increasing your self-acceptance and self-awareness of the specific “flavor” of ADHD, autism or neurodivergence that you experience. Everyone’s experience is unique, and it’s important that therapy values the unique differences that exist across the spectrum of neurobiology.
If these ideas resonate with you, we encourage you to reach out for a consultation so we can determine which therapist on our team might be a good match for you specifically. Don’t worry, you don’t have to start with a phone call! You can text, email, or fill out our contact form below. (We prefer texts/emails/forms too!) We can do all the initial conversing and scheduling in writing and then set up the consultation call at a time that works for you. When it does come time for that initial call remember this: Our team is overwhelmingly neurodivergent so you’ll either be talking directly to another neuro-spicy human or to one of our coworkers who are used to our tangents, literal language, and chronic fears of being misunderstood. We’ve got you covered. :)