Moving to Neurodivergent–affirming care
We’re joined by Lucy Gilbert, NdC’s Lived Experience Lead, for the tenth and final blog of our latest campaign ‘Against PBS & ABA’.
Lucy explores what Neurodivergent–affirming care is and what it isn’t, as well as sharing how you can start to grow your Neurodivergent–affirming practice today, with our new interactive toolkit.
What is Neurodivergent–affirming care?
Also known as neurodiversity-affirming care, or neuroaffirming care, the approach is firmly rooted in the neurodiversity paradigm, which moves away from the medical model of deficits and towards embracing the diversity of human brains. This paradigm shift begins to remove stigma and consideration that all neurodivergent ways of being require treatment. When differences are embraced and accepted, shame and othering lessens.
Neurodivergent–affirming support allows Neurodivergent folk to feel understood and accepted, as they are. It goes further than understanding and accommodating differences, to embracing and celebrating diversity. Through practicing compassionate curiosity, Neurodivergent–affirming care seeks to work alongside an individual to champion their unique strengths and support their unique challenges. This can elevate an individual’s sense of self and self-worth which can be especially beneficial for those who are newly discovering their Neurodivergence, who are likely re-examining their lives through a new lens and, without neuroaffirming support, may be battling feelings of being ‘less than’.
The care is holistic, taking other Neurodivergent, intersecting identities and preferences into account. It feels welcoming, inclusive, equal. In a care or therapeutic setting, individuals are considered an equal partner in care, and their unique experiences are respected. The variety and richness of experiences is valued which allows for connection on a human level. Teams recognise that Neurodivergent folk often hold the burden of communication translation and share that responsibility by adapting communication and seeking to enter into each individual’s experience of the world.
An environment–first approach is adopted. From encouraging stimming, to teaching about monotropic flow. From supporting sensory needs to loosening shame associated with meltdowns. The impact of the sensory and social environment are considered before an individual’s behaviour or personality is held responsible.
Practitioners take responsibility for what they bring into the environment. The importance of co-regulation is recognised and honoured. In neuroaffirmingcultures people support each other to lead with practitioner wellbeing first. This allows everyone to be resourced to co-regulate whilst limiting negative emotional contagion. This culture also allows challenging of one’s own and other’s assumptions to limit the blind spots caused by bias or perception.
What is Neurodivergent–affirming care not?
It is important to note that whilst Neurodivergent–affirming care embraces and celebrates differences, it does not go so far as to liken Neurodivergence to a superpower, nor postulates that all Neurodivergent folk possess savant skills. Rather it firmly supports that notion that we often have ‘spiky’ and fluctuating profiles.
A neuroaffirmative approach is not a manualised, tick box approach, as everyone is unique in what works for them. Whilst there are tangible actions you can do to accommodate sensory and social differences, often a neuroaffirming approach is about how you are, not what you do. How you show up alongside someone, rather than the actions you take or projects you complete. Being not doing.
The power of a Neurodivergent–affirming approach
Considering the numbers of Neurodivergent people experiencing mental health challenges, ensuring delivery of Neurodivergent–affirming care should be a priority. It moves beyond providing crisis care, towards a more proactive, preventative approach. Working with Neurodivergent people to support wellbeing, increase self-understanding and perhaps starting to heal trauma from trying to navigate a world not designed for them. Embedding Neurodivergent–affirming care into mental health is urgently needed to deliver the acceptance and warmth which everyone needs to thrive.
When neurotypical norms are not enforced or chased, individuals and their care teams can start to break free from patterns of inappropriate orineffective treatment and coping mechanisms. When combined with psychoeducation around Neurodivergent differences, this can be transformative. Individuals can begin building and advocating for a life and support systems which work with their brain, rather than battling against it.
Growing your Neurodivergent–affirming practice
Often new approaches or change can feel challenging. You may not know where to start, or be worried about getting it wrong. This concern demonstratescompassion. Hold onto that compassion and combine it with curiosity. Curiosity for where that fear or uncomfortableness stems from, alongside curiosity for the experiences of the people you are supporting.
Neurodiverse Connection’s new, interactive toolkit provides useful guidelines, prompts and reflective practices to support the development of a neurodiversity–affirming approach and you can download it for free! And remember, small individual actions really do make a significant difference, and they all add up to improve outcomes for everyone. As Martin Luther King said: “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way”.
