If you are diagnosed with a Neurodivergent type or suspect that you may be neurodivergent, you may already have experience in the therapeutic space. It’s also ok if you haven’t.
Commonly reported issues relating to the Neurodivergent experience include difficulties with task completion (task paralysis), novelty/ dopamine/ sensory seeking behaviours which derail focus, social communication difficulties, insomnia or difficulty with regulating sleep cycles, rejection sensitivity (RSD), and burnout.
How therapy can support the Neurodivergent Experience
Therapy at Think Joy Drama Therapy for the Neurodivergent experience can be 1) a place to explore how this affects/has affected you, what this means to you, and understanding the unique way that you interact in the world and/or 2) can be a powerful support for learning about how to ‘hack your brain’, increase confidence in your abilities, skills and intuition, and learn how to get your needs met in an authentic, dignity-affirming way.
Therapy that is neurodivergent-affirming can help you to work through self-doubt, relationship difficulties, role transitions, feelings of vulnerability, and communication struggles.
The Neurodivergent mind and acquired neurodivergence
The concept of the ‘neurodivergent mind’ is evolving. Historically it has been used mainly to describe those with a diagnosis of Dyslexia, Autism or ADHD. Think Joy Drama Therapy takes the view that Neurodivergence exists on a spectrum and can be used as a way to describe the phenomenon that people just experience and interact with the world in different ways and that there are normal variations in how brains function, taking into account personal developmental experiences and trauma. This view reflects the concept of acquired neurodiversity.
Acquired neurodivergence often occurs later in life and can be the result of physical trauma, medical conditions, psychological trauma, and environmental factors including chronic burnout or C-PTSD. Diagnostic classifications may help to funnel individuals toward targeted medications, support groups or other evidence based ‘treatments’ which may include psychotherapy. That being stated, there are many individuals for whom ‘getting a diagnosis’ may not be realistic. It may be difficult or expensive to acquire a diagnosis, there may be cultural or other social stigma surrounding diagnosis which prevent individuals from seeking a diagnosis, and to be honest, executive dysfunction or the learned/practiced behaviour of successfully ‘masking’ over many years can become a barrier.
Accessibility and use of Psychotherapy
As psychotherapy often works on a self-referral system it can be easier to access and can help individuals to understand the impacts that life experiences have (including experiences with the medical system) and offer support in a variety of ways which may include discussing the need or reasoning behind pursuing a diagnostic result or not. In either case, psychotherapy can aid in helping to make meaning from life experiences which may trigger feelings of anxiety or depression as well as offer suggestions or techniques for how to cope with symptoms including dysregulation, emotional outbursts or meltdowns, dissociation, and executive dysfunction. Oftentimes just being heard and having your concerns and experiences validated in a safe space can make a huge difference to the way that you feel and experience the world around you.
Autism
I have a range of experience working with individuals with Autism. Diagnosed Autism is currently separated into levels and I generally work with individuals at level 1 or 2:
Level 1 – Requiring support, individuals may have difficulty with social communication and experience more rigidity around routines. Many late diagnosed individuals fit into this category, the reason often being that it may be more difficult to notice as a person may be ‘high-masking’. I often work with adults in this level range who are diagnosed or suspect diagnosis.
Level 2- Requiring substantial support, individuals have clear difficulties with verbal and non-verbal communication, higher distress from routine changes, and more intense sensory-seeking behaviors and habits.
Level 3- Requiring substantial support, individual may have clear difficulties with verbal and non-verbal communication, distress when encountering changes to routines and more notable sensory sensitivities.
Although my work does not currently centre working with individuals who are diagnosed at level 3, I do have experience and enjoy working with existing groups of young adults and adults who are level 2 and 3 types and am able to consult with caregivers and support workers as requested.
Many folks who might identify as Autistic may struggle with communication, social interactions, rigidity, hyper fixations and sensory processing as well as experience a need to take the information and process it over time prior to feeling ready to respond to or engage with it. Transitions that seem simple for others might present more of a challenge.
ADHD
Individuals with ADHD can experience significant issues with executive function including impulsivity, focus, emotional regulation, and energy output.
While male-presenting-at-birth individuals might be diagnosed at a younger age due to difficulty controlling impulsive behavior in school settings which may be ignored or even praised outside of classrooms, female-presenting-at-birth individuals have been less likely to be diagnosed early due to the tendency to be ‘inattentive types’ which can be mistaken for proper social compliance (the good girl trope).
AuDHD
Considering that both Autism and ADHD exist on a spectrum, it could serve to consider that Neurodivergence exists on a spectrum that may overlap creating combined types of Neurodivergence. It is estimated that at least 50% of people with Autism also experience traits of ADHD.
Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder
Some people may consider BD and BPD to be under the umbrella of neurodivergence due to the fact that both involve distinct, lifelong differences in brain processing and structure that affects mood regulation and executive functioning with significant symptom overlap with conditions like ADHD and Autism.
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
(quote sourced from aidecanada.ca)
‘When a person has experienced a series of traumatic events, especially if throughout their childhood, they may be diagnosed with complex PTSD (C-PTSD). While it currently is not considered a separate diagnosis in North America, it is included in the diagnostic manual used in other parts of the world. Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) includes all of the symptoms described for PTSD, but persons with C-PTSD may also have more intense emotion regulation issues and difficulty with relationships. Persons with C-PTSD can struggle with negative self-image. They may have poor boundaries with others, and allow others too much control over their lives.’
Therapy options for the Neurodivergent experience
Individual Therapy:
As noted above, there are many things that you can process or explore in an individual therapy session. Some Autistic clients might find that they struggle with metaphors or have ‘concrete thinking’ so may prefer individual talk-based sessions for this reason.
Some individuals exploring the neurodivergent experience might prefer the distance and novelty provided by a Drama Play session or an individual Poetry Therapy session which may engage more with abstract thinking or the use of metaphors, symbolic thinking and/or creative engagement.
Group Therapy:
Poetry Therapy Group This type of group might help to explore personal experiences in response to text (poetry, prose and quotes) within a supportive social setting, allowing for individual processing, reflective writing, and group discussion to support authentic communication of individual differences, preferences and values.
Creative Processing Group This type of group is gently structured with creative exercises including movement, sound, creative writing and journal prompts, art creation and character exploration in addition to reflective writing and group discussions on themes. This therapy group helps participants to explore a variety of themes including identity, interpersonal relationships, authentic communication, coping with symptoms of depression or anxiety stemming from being perceived and so on. Participants may have individual goals that they want to work on in this group however there are often common threads found in groups as well.
Limited Series: Hero’s Journey
This group is the most structured in terms of creative explorations offered (including art-based, movement, sound, story exploration through character creation). This group may be suitable for you if you prefer to explore identity privately alongside others. This way of creative processing allows you to work through your individual struggles from a slightly distanced perspective which can be useful when dealing with differences or struggles with communication, traumatic material, dissociation, or other types of complex situations. This type of session series can really help you to pinpoint and work through the edge of growth that you may be searching for.
