Neurodiversity is a human rights movement that believes everyone should be treated and cared for equally, no matter how your brain or mind works.
There are many experiences that fall into the neurodiversity movement, but it was started by Autistic people.
Neurodivergent people have brain-based differences such as Autism, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and other neurological conditions. The Neurodiversity movement hallenges the idea that there is a “normal” way for a brain to function. No matter how hard you work, it can feel like you don’t ever live up to other people’s expectations.
This may feel familiar to the desire for your gender and sexuality to be treated and cared for equally, no matter who and how you love.
If you live under the double rainbow (being LGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent) you may have faced even more barriers to feeling like you belong.
If you’ve seen yourself in the outpouring of different experiences from neurodivergent people, are thinking about therapy for the first time, or are beginning again you likely have questions like:
- How can I begin to cope with how lonely and misunderstood I feel?
- How do I make sense of who I am when others have labeled me with negative descriptions like “lazy, difficult, stubborn, or noncompliant”?
- How can I communicate my unique experiences to help me relate to others?
- How do I find supportive queer community that can accommodate my sensory and emotional needs?
- Does a missed diagnosis in early childhood impact the way I experience the world today?
- How do I navigate sensory overload, social interactions, or executive functioning difficulties?
- Am I receiving the support I need to thrive in intimate, personal, professional, and community spaces?
Affirmative psychoanalytic psychotherapy is different than many therapies often suggested for diagnoses like Autism and ADHD. Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and conversion therapy were developed by the same group of people, around the same time. We know that those kinds of therapy are harmful and unethical. We actively work to undo the harm caused by these therapies with our clients and in the community. Working through any of the ideas above may help you:
- Gain an understanding and acceptance of your inner world
- Develop more accurate ways to describe your needs and experiences
- Discover the barriers that keep you from building stronger, more authentic relationships with family, friends, and coworkers
- Recognize and address traumatic experiences related to unsuccessful attempts to meet others’ expectations.
We know that finding the right therapist is a key part of your healing journey. Therapy is a partnership, and we’re here to help you explore your questions and create a path toward growth, self-acceptance, interdependence, and self-advocacy.
