At BiTS, we believe that every brain is unique. Most of our therapists’ personal lives, & especially our clients, have included neurodiversity. We’ve been affected by how our social networks respond to such uniqueness, sometimes in hurtful ways & some in beautiful acceptance & even celebration. So, we are committed to neurodiversity-affirming care, learning with each client & family member.

Neurodiversity is a word showing up in a lot of spaces, and in some, with angst or conflict. We don’t want to stir up controversy. We just want our readers to understand a little more about neurodiversity and for our neurodiverse readers to feel understood.

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity recognizes that there are differences in how people think, learn, & experience the world. Autism & ADHD, words that describe some persons, are natural & valid variations of the human nervous system.  Differences that are not deficits to be fixed, they are simply different ways of being.  

A neurodivergent person may process sensory input more intensely, communicate in unique ways, or approach tasks and relationships differently than another person.

Rather than asking people to fit into a “neurotypical” mold, neurodiversity invites us to expand our understanding of what it means to thrive in being human.

So what is Neurospicy?

‘Neurospicy’ is a newer fun & quirky phrase that some of the neurodivergent community are using to describe their neurodivergence.  It relieves some of seriousness & awkwardness our world can feel in discussing neurodivergence. But some people don’t love the label.

So yeah. What about labels?

Many neurodivergent people identify as neurodivergent (for example, as autistic).  Some shy away from that identity language and prefer “person with autism”. It is so important to listen first to a person and notice how they refer to themselves, or ask how they prefer that you refer to them. Offering each other respect.

So what’s the point of Counselling therapy with Neurodivergence?

Neurodiversity-affirming care means therapy is not about changing who you are or helping you “mask” your differences.  It is about creating space where you feel seen, understood, & supported. 

Every person has times when life is distressing or painful. This is when our nervous system has been threatened & stressed, moving into a fight-or-flight (or any of the other “f’s” of the nervous system).

At BiTS, Counsellors hope to help soothe that pain so you can live a more fulfilling life in the uniqueness of who you are.

Neurodivergent-affirming therapists are willing to learn & adapt their practices to meet the client’s specific needs. For example, we may dim our lights for those with eye sensitivities to reduce the extra stimuli that might be causing a headache & interfering with their ability to focus on the reasons they came in for counselling.

Some clients don’t benefit from traditional talking therapies.

So, our counsellors weave creative therapies into sessions, such as sandtray, expressive art, & music. Or we may use body & eye movements in various ways. All of these can offer non-verbal avenues for expression & healing, accommodating different processing styles & sensory needs. ​

Therapy that celebrates differences & supports you to thrive. 

We would love to hear from you. Click the button below to email us and one of us will respond.

Warmly,

Tanya & Kay

A lot of these thoughts are inspired by a couple of our recent reads:

The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy by Steph Jones

Autism in Polyvagal Terms by Sean Inderbitzen

Neurodiversity Affirming Handbook by Megan Mott