Therapy for Neurodiverent Adults

Neurodivergence affects so many people in the world that you likely live, work, and socialize with with people who identify as neurodivergent or you ARE neurodivergent! As with the general population of the world, every single human being who identifies as neurodivergent is fascinating and unique…truly one of a kind. Factors such as personality, race, gender, privilege, oppression, faith, culture, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and many other factors, influence how neurodivergent individuals grow up and how they experience the world in adulthood.  This is no different than for neurotypical people.

Neurodivergent individuals, like anyone else, label their experiences and their identities according to personal preference, so it is important that therapists and family members honor these preferences. Therapists should lead the way in using inclusive language and paradigms, allowing space for descriptions that are detailed, accurate, person-centered, AND nonpathologizing.  Christina Unruh, LCSW has the privilege of living and working alongside neurodivergent individuals and finds these relationships to be enormously fulfilling. As with any other human being, we have much to learn from the neurodivergent people in our lives.

Therapy should help people who identify as neurodivergent to do all the same things that neurotypical people do in therapy such as increase self-confidence and self-efficacy. Utilizing behavioral and dialectical frameworks,  DBT helps with balancing acceptance of how things are and who we are with the need to adapt ourselves to the demands of living in an ever-changing world.  Therapists must help neurodivergent individuals move toward a resilient life and fulfilling life that is based on interdependence with others vs independent aloneness. So balancing doing our own thing with working collaboratively with others is something to strive for in therapy.

DBT also helps clients move away from extremes in thinking, and live with a both/and framework vs. either/or. For instance, we acknowledge the tension that exists between embracing what is new while also holding onto what is familiar. There is room for both. We try to increase curiosity about ourselves and others while also relishing the ability to not question things all the time.

DBT skills are foundational to increasing a client’s resiliency with their emotions and behaviors. DBT can be informal or the full program, depending upon the client’s symptoms and treatment goals. Call Christina Unruh, LCSW for more information.