What is Neuro-affirming Practice?
Neuro-affirming practice refers to approaches, attitudes, and supports rooted in the Neurodiversity Affirming Paradigm. This paradigm recognises neurological differences, such as autism, ADHD, Giftedness, dyslexia, bipolar, to name a few, as natural and valuable variations in human experience. It rejects the notion of needing to "fix" neurodivergent traits and instead celebrates diversity as a fundamental part of humanity.
These practices align with a strength-based model, which does not view neurodivergence as a deficit. Instead, it emphasises each individual's unique strengths, abilities, and interests, using these as a foundation to support areas of challenge. By focusing on what neurodivergent people can do, this approach fosters confidence, autonomy, and personal growth.
Additionally, neuro-affirming practice incorporates the Social Model of Disability, which emphasises that many of the barriers faced by neurodivergent individuals arise not from their differences but from societal and systemic attitudes and values, inaccessible environments, and a lack of accommodations. The Social Model of Disability aims to shift the responsibility from individuals needing to adapt to a neurotypical world to society creating inclusive spaces that support all ways of being.
Neuro-affirming practice aims to create environments where neurodivergent people feel safe, valued, and empowered to thrive as their authentic selves, with their unique needs and strengths supported and respected.
Key Principles of Neuro-Affirming Practice
1. Embracing Neurodivergence:
Recognising that neurological differences are inherent and meaningful aspects of human diversity, not deficits or disorders to be "treated" or "corrected."
2. Person-Centred Support:
Prioritising the individual’s preferences, needs and supports, and respecting their right to define their own experiences, free from societal pressures or predefined expectations.
3. Strength-Focused Perspective:
The strengths-based approach values each person’s abilities and interests as starting points for growth, while ensuring that their challenges, differences, and experiences are fully acknowledged, understood, and supported. It focuses on empowerment, self-understanding, and building practical strategies around each individual’s strengths.
4. Avoidance of Harmful Practices:
Rejecting interventions that seek to suppress authentic neurodivergent expression is essential, such as discouraging stimming or forcing eye contact, as these practices can be harmful and invalidating. Instead, therapy focuses on supporting individuals to understand and regulate their sensory and emotional needs in ways that feel safe, empowering, and aligned with who they are. Neuro-affirming practice honours each person’s natural ways of moving, communicating, and expressing themselves.
5. Sensory and Emotional Acknowledgement:
Validating and accommodating sensory sensitivities and self-regulation strategies, such as the need for stimming, movement, or breaks.
6. Collaboration and Consent:
Engaging individuals in decisions about their support and respecting their autonomy, ensuring that practices are implemented with their consent and active participation.
7. Advocacy and Education:
Promoting understanding of neurodivergence within families, schools, workplaces, and communities to dismantle stigma and foster acceptance and inclusion.
8. Affirming Language and Framing:
Using identity-first, respectful language (e.g., "autistic person" rather than "person with autism") to honour neurodivergent identities and avoiding terms or narratives that pathologise neurodivergence.
9. Empowerment and Independence:
Empowering individuals to build confidence and self-advocacy, supporting them to navigate the world in ways that honour their authentic selves.
10. Intersectional Awareness:
Acknowledging and addressing how intersecting identities, such as race, gender, culture, or socioeconomic background, influence the experiences of neurodivergent individuals.
Examples of Neuro-Affirming Practices
Providing flexible, sensory-friendly environments and accommodations in the therapeutic space.
Adapting communication styles to meet individual needs, such as using visual supports or AAC devices.
Supporting and encouraging sensory-seeking and sensory-avoidant experiences rather than trying to eliminate or suppress them.
Valuing and nurturing special interests as essential and meaningful forms of self-expression and joy.
Promoting self-determination and respecting an individual’s unique way of engaging with the world.
Neuro-affirming practices foster acceptance, reduce stigma, and build supportive spaces where neurodivergent people can thrive with dignity, respect, and authenticity.