neurodivergent-affirming

A neurodivergent-affirming approach celebrates how neurodivergent people naturally engage with the world, valuing their experiences as part of human diversity rather than trying to “normalise” behaviours. As a neurodivergent professional, I strongly believe that neurodivergent affirmations are essential in this, providing validation and reinforcing self-worth. Likewise, neurodivergent affirming report writing ensures that documentation reflects a strengths-based perspective, avoiding deficit-based language. These practices create supportive environments that empower neurodivergent individuals and shape how they are perceived in professional and educational settings. By choosing affirming language, professionals can promote respect, understanding, and meaningful inclusion.

2025 update:

As of 2025, this page has been expanded to include more affirmations, updated principles, and voices from the global majority. Neurodivergent-affirming care is always evolving, if you see something here you feel should be added or critiqued, I welcome your feedback.

Why Identity-First Language Matters

Notice how I use phrases like “autistic person” and “ADHDer” instead of “person with autism” or “person with ADHD.” This is known as identity-first language. This is a key part of neurodivergent-affirming communication.

🆔 Recognizes neurodivergence as an integral part of identity rather than something separate or needing to be “fixed.”
🫶 Respects the language preferences of many neurodivergent individuals and their communities.
⭐️ Moves away from deficit-based perspectives and embraces neurodivergence as a valued aspect of diversity.

Using identity-first language is also essential in neurodivergent affirming report writing, ensuring that reports reflect and respect neurodivergent identities. When documenting support needs, choosing affirming language helps move away from outdated, deficit-focused narratives and instead highlights individual strengths and ways of communicating.

neurodivergent affirmations

Neurodivergent-affirmations are positive statements that validate identity and experience. They help shift perspectives away from deficit-based narratives and instead promote self-acceptance, self-advocacy, and empowerment.

For many neurodivergent individuals, the world can feel like it constantly demands masking and conformity. To counterbalance this, neurodivergent affirmations offer reassurance and validation. These statements can be used in daily routines, therapy, or education to reinforce self-acceptance.

These affirmations can be used in daily routines, therapy sessions, educational settings, or as personal reminders to reinforce the idea that neurodivergent people deserve to exist and thrive exactly as they are. Want to explore how affirmations support unmasking? Read my latest post on neurodivergent affirmations.

See below for examples of neurodivergent-affirmations that you can download and use for yourself, in your practice, or to share with others. 💜✨

The Role of Neurodivergent Affirmations

Neurodivergent affirmations provide validation, acceptance, and encouragement by honoring an individual’s unique way of being. Affirming statements can:

🤗 Reassure neurodivergent individuals that they are valued as they are.
⭐️ Encourage self-acceptance and confidence.
💌 Counteract internalized ableism and negative messaging.

By using affirming language and avoiding terms that reinforce negative stereotypes, we create supportive spaces that empower neurodivergent individuals.

principles of neurodivergent affirming care

As a neurodivergent speech and language therapist, I’m passionate about creating a space where individuals feel understood. Neurodivergent-affirming care ensures communication is respectful and empowering. Incorporating affirmations validates lived experiences and strengths.

A key part of this approach includes neurodivergent affirming report writing, which ensures that reports reflect individuals’ identities, strengths, and support needs in a way that is empowering rather than deficit-based. Using affirming language in documentation helps to reinforce the values of neurodivergent-affirming care across all aspects of support.

Read below for what I see as the 10 key principles of neurodivergent-affirming care.

💪🏻1: promoting self-advocacy

❤️‍🩹 2: being trauma-informed

🔆 3: centering lived experiences

🙌🏿 4: promoting autonomy

🌎 5: an intersectional approach

🏠 6: Emotional validation

💝 7: neurodivergent affirming report writing

🏋️‍♀️ 8: Strengths based approach

🪐 9: neurodivergent affirmations

🪩 10: supporting unmasking

Neurodivergent Affirmations for People of the Global Majority

Neurodivergent individuals from the Global Majority (PGM) often experience additional barriers, biases, and stereotypes when navigating their neurodivergent identity. Whether due to underdiagnosis, cultural stigma, or systemic inequalities, many neurodivergent PGM individuals have been made to feel like their struggles are not valid.

But your experiences are valid. You do not have to conform to societal expectations to be worthy of support. You do not have to mask your neurodivergence to be accepted.

📝 A Note on My Positionality

I am white, and I do not have lived experience as a neurodivergent person of the Global Majority. I have written this section using insights from PGM neurodivergent advocates, researchers, and professionals to ensure accuracy and respect. If anything here does not feel right to you, or if you feel something should be added or changed, please feel free to contact me, your voice matters.

neurodivergent Affirmations for people of the global majority

🧡 My neurodivergence is real, even if others do not recognise it.

💛 I deserve support that respects both my neurodivergence and my culture.

💚 I do not have to mask to be worthy of inclusion.

💜 I do not need to prove my struggles for them to be real.

pogm research/literature

Morénike Giwa Onaiwu

An American educator, author, and advocate, Giwa Onaiwu has contributed significantly to discussions on autism and intersectionality. She co-edited “All the Weight of Our Dreams: On Living Racialized Autism,” an anthology featuring art and writings by autistic people from the global majority.

All the Weight of Our Dreams: On Living Racialized Autism

“Is neurodiversity a Global Northern White paradigm?”

This article introduces a decolonial framework to neurodiversity scholarship, emphasizing perspectives from the Global South and challenging Western-centric views.

Nair, V. K., Farah, W., & Boveda, M. (2024).

Neurodiversity and Non-Verbal Norms in a World Designed for the Majority

This chapter discusses the systemic oppression faced by neurodivergent individuals and highlights the importance of neurodiversity-affirming counselor education, offering strategies to enhance inclusivity.

(Yin and Silveus, 2024)

neurodivergent affirming report writing

Writing reports that respect and reflect neurodivergent individuals’ identities is a crucial step in fostering inclusivity. Conventional clinical and educational reports often focus on deficits, which can be disempowering and fail to acknowledge an individual’s strengths and capabilities. A neurodivergent-affirming perspective shifts this narrative, ensuring that reports provide an accurate, respectful, and strengths-based representation. This benefits not only the individual but also families, educators, and professionals seeking to support them effectively.

Guidelines for Affirming Report Writing

1: Use Identity-First Language (Unless Otherwise Stated)

Many neurodivergent individuals prefer identity-first language (e.g., “autistic person” rather than “person with autism”) because it acknowledges that neurodivergence is an integral part of their identity rather than something separate (Grech, Koller and Olley, 2024).
ADHDer is becoming increasingly popular rather than, ‘person with ADHD’.
AUDHD is also becoming more well known. This is a person who has been diagnosed or identifies as an autistic/ADHD person.
However, always respect individual preferences where known.
Ask about pronouns and use them in your own email signature at work. Including pronouns in your email signature and asking others for theirs helps create a more inclusive and respectful environment. It normalizes sharing pronouns rather than assuming them, reducing the risk of misgendering. This small action shows allyship, supports gender-diverse individuals, and fosters a workplace culture where everyone’s identity is acknowledged and respected.

2: Avoid Pathologizing Terms

Traditional reports often use language that implies a problem needing to be ‘fixed.’ Instead, use neutral or affirming descriptions.

Do not use “Autism Spectrum Disorder,” consider “Autistic identity” or “Autistic neurotype.”
Some people have a preference for Autism Spectrum Condition.
Avoid the use of ‘Aspergers’ – this term is offensive and outdated.
We no longer use “high-functioning” and “low-functioning” labels because they are subjective and based on how well someone appears to function to others, rather than their actual needs. “High-functioning” often refers to those who can mask their ADHD or autism, but masking is exhausting and harmful. These labels minimize struggles and invalidate support needs, reinforcing the idea that someone’s worth is tied to how well they fit neurotypical expectations. A neurodivergent-affirming approach focuses on describing individual strengths and challenges without judgement.

3: Highlight Strengths Alongside Support Needs

Rather than framing differences as deficits, highlight the individual’s unique ways of thinking, learning, and interacting.

As a replacement for “Struggles with social communication,” try “Uses direct and clear communication, which may differ from neurotypical styles.”

4: Describe Support Needs Without Judgement

Be factual and specific without implying limitations that do not exist. Avoid language that frames natural responses as deficits or weaknesses.

Rather than saying “Lacks the ability to focus in class,” say “Benefits from structured tasks and movement breaks to sustain engagement.”
Additionally, do not use emotional invalidation in reports, such as describing someone as “too sensitive,” “overreacts to jokes/banter,” or “cries a lot.” These phrases dismiss genuine emotional responses and imply that the issue lies with the individual rather than the environment or the way they are treated. Repeated emotional invalidation, especially when done knowingly despite its harm, is a form of emotional abuse. Instead, reports should acknowledge the person’s emotional experiences as valid and focus on supportive strategies that help them feel safe and understood.

5: Reframe Goals to Emphasise Progress, Not Deficits

Traditional reports often phrase goals in a way that focuses on what the individual cannot do. A neurodivergent-affirming approach instead emphasizes what they can do while still making it clear where progress can be made.

Here are some examples:

Rather than saying: “Cannot follow two-keyword instructions,” say “Can follow one-keyword instructions and is working towards two-keyword instructions.”
Change “Does not understand idioms,” to something like, “Understands literal language and is learning to recognise idioms with support.”
Try changing “Struggles to engage in group discussions,” to something like: “Engages best in one-to-one conversations and is developing confidence in group settings.”

This simple shift removes negative phrasing while still clearly outlining areas for development.

Race, Intersectionality, and Neurodivergent-Affirming Report Writing

Intersectionality plays a crucial role in neurodivergent-affirming report writing. Neurodivergent individuals who are also People of the Global Majority (PGM) experience unique barriers due to systemic racism, cultural biases, and disparities in access to support. Reports should reflect these realities with nuance, ensuring that language does not contribute to further marginalisation.

Why Intersectionality Matters in Report Writing

Many traditional reports are written from a Eurocentric, neurotypical perspective that fails to acknowledge the ways in which race, culture, and systemic inequities shape neurodivergent experiences. A neurodivergent-affirming approach must consider:

Bias in behavioural expectations

PGM neurodivergent individuals are more likely to be pathologised for natural communication styles, movement, or emotional expression. Reports should avoid reinforcing stereotypes or framing cultural differences as deficits.

Diagnostic disparities

Black and other PGM neurodivergent individuals are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to biases in assessment tools and professional assumptions. Reports should acknowledge these disparities where relevant.

Cultural considerations

Language preferences, family values, and approaches to disability vary widely across cultures. Reports should respect and include family and community perspectives rather than imposing a Western medical model.

Structural barriers

PGM neurodivergent individuals are disproportionately affected by systemic discrimination in education, employment, and healthcare. Reports should frame recommendations with these realities in mind rather than assuming equal access to resources.

Aylward, B.S., Gal-Szabo, D.E. and Taraman, S. (2021). Racial, Ethnic, and Sociodemographic Disparities in Diagnosis of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, [online] 42(8).
Lawton, A. (2023). From My Perspective/Opinion: Dialect – A Difference, Not a Disorder. Default Digital Object Group.

Neurodivergent-Affirming Language in Reports

To ensure reports are affirming and inclusive, avoid language that erases or minimises the lived experiences of PGM individuals. Instead, use language that is:

💪🏿 Strengths-based

Instead of “lacks social skills,” consider “demonstrates a direct and clear communication style that differs from neurotypical expectations.”

👁 Culturally responsive

Do not assume eye contact avoidance is a “social deficit”, acknowledge that different cultures interpret eye contact in different ways.

❌ Free from deficit-framing

Rather than stating “does not engage in group discussions,” consider “expresses ideas confidently in one-to-one conversations and is developing comfort in group settings.”

Avoiding Microaggressions in Reports

Microaggressions in professional reports can be subtle but harmful. Common examples include:

⛔️ Over-pathologising natural behaviour

“Exhibits excessive movement” (instead, describe how movement supports regulation).

🚫 Imposing Eurocentric standards

Do not say “Struggles with social norms” (instead, specify whose norms and recognise cultural differences).

‼️ Using racialised language

Examples include, “Lacks discipline” or “aggressive” (terms disproportionately used to describe Black and PGM neurodivergent individuals) (Gayles, 2022).

Commitment to Ongoing Learning

As a neurodivergent-affirming speech and language therapist, I am committed to continually learning from PGM voices. I have taken care to use terminology informed by PGM-led research and advocacy. However, I acknowledge my position as a white professional and welcome feedback from PGM individuals and professionals. If anything in this section does not feel right to you, please reach out. Neurodivergent-affirming report writing must be an evolving practice, shaped by those with lived experience.

targets and goals for neurodivergent-affirming report writing

Below are examples of traditional vs. affirming phrases for different language and communication targets. These examples are categorized into receptive language, expressive language, emotional regulation, and pragmatics to illustrate how report writing can be both clear and neurodivergent-affirming.

targets for receptive language

receptive traditional target

Cannot follow two-step instructions.
Struggles with understanding complex sentences.
Fails to identify key details in a spoken story
Does not understand Blank Level 4 questions.
Has significant difficulty with inferencing.

receptive affirming target

Can follow one-step instructions.
Understands some sentences and is developing skills for processing longer information.
Can recall key details from short stories and is developing comprehension for longer narratives.
Understands Blank Levels 1-3.
Understands explicit information and is developing the ability to infer meaning from context with support

targets for expressive language

expressive traditional target

Cannot answer Blank Level 4 questions.
Poor use of sequencing within spoken sentences.
Uses meaningless phrases and words.
Limited use of vocabulary.
Cannot answer open-ended questions.

expressive affirming target

Can answer Blank Level 1-3 questions.
Can describe single events and is working towards sequencing multiple events.
Uses echolalia to regulate and process language.
Uses a growing range of words and is expanding vocabulary in structured activities.
Can point/say yes or no when given choices.

Emotional Regulation Targets

regulation traditional target

Overreacts to minor situations.
Has frequent emotional outbursts.
Struggles to manage frustration.
Is too sensitive.
Responds inappropriately to criticism.

regulation affirming target

Expresses emotions strongly and benefits from co-regulation strategies.
Communicates distress through behaviour and benefits from structured emotional support.
Is developing strategies to manage frustration.
Feels emotions deeply and benefits from co-regulation.
Responds well to supportive communication partner when responding to perceived criticism.

social communication (pragmatics) targets

pragmatic traditional target

Uses poor eye contact.
Does not understand figurative language such as idioms and metaphors.
Fails to maintain appropriate conversation topics.
Does not wait for their turn to speak.
Regularly upsets their peers.

pragmatic affirming target

Prefers no/reduced eye contact.
Is a literal thinker and benefits from support in understanding figurative language.
Has a monotropic thinking style and does not enjoy small talk.
Is developing regulation strategies to wait their turn to speak.
Experiences communication breakdowns with their peers.

neurodivergent-affirming approaches to self-advocacy

what is self-advocacy?

Teaching self-advocacy means helping neurodivergent individuals express their needs and make decisions that feel right for them. This approach focuses on empowerment rather than compliance-based methods.

Encourages individuals to express their authentic needs confidently.
Uses neurodivergent-affirming language to ensure respect and understanding.
Promotes validation and autonomy throughout the self-advocacy process.

compliance based approaches cannot be neurodivergent-affirming

Compliance-based methods prioritise obedience over personal choice, which can lead to serious risks:

Limits a person’s ability to express preferences and advocate for themselves.
Increases vulnerability to coercion or manipulation due to over-compliance (Leadbitter et al., 2021).
Fails to support independence, leaving individuals reliant on external direction.

Read below to learn how promoting self-advocacy can provide a healthier alternative.

the benefits of promoting self-advocacy

Self-advocacy helps individuals:

Speak up for themselves.
Seek support when needed.
Make decisions that align with their needs and values (Cook, 2022).

By encouraging self-confidence and control, self-advocacy enables greater independence.

Reducing Anxiety Through Collaboration

When individuals feel heard and respected, anxiety decreases.
Self-advocacy empowers individuals to actively participate in their lives.
As a result, they develop greater confidence in expressing their needs.

Aligning With Neurodivergent-Affirming Care

Values individual strengths and respects unique needs.
Prioritises personal growth and autonomy over rigid expectations.
Encourages individuals to thrive on their own terms rather than complying with external pressures.

Skills for Self-Advocacy

Self-Awareness

Helps individuals identify strengths and challenges.
Encourages recognition of personal needs, such as processing time or sensory support.
Using neurodivergent affirmations ensures they feel validated in their self-expression.

For instance:
A person may recognise that they need extra processing time or prefer using a fidget tool for regulation.

Tailored Communication Skills

Encourages individuals to express their needs, preferences, and boundaries.
Includes learning to ask for accommodations or support when required.
Ensures people feel empowered to speak up with confidence.

Assertiveness

Builds self-confidence in advocating for personal needs.
Encourages direct communication in social and professional settings.
Neurodivergent affirmations reinforce self-worth and validation in advocacy.

For example:
Practicing self-advocacy scripts or using preferred communication tools can help individuals set boundaries and express their needs effectively.

requesting help

Some neurodivergent individuals struggle with asking for help due to anxiety or past experiences.
Teaching structured request strategies can make seeking support easier.

Examples of strategies:
Using visual aids for communication.

Practicing simple request phrases.
Identifying trusted individuals to seek help from.

neurodivergent-affirming visual supports

Many neurodivergent individuals are visual thinkers and benefit from tools like:

Visual timetables.
“Now and Next” boards.
Picture cues for organisation.

Teaching how to use these tools helps individuals navigate daily tasks and advocate for their needs.

📌 See below for an example of a “Now, Next, and Then” board.

By recognising and supporting autonomy, self-advocacy builds confidence, resilience, and independence, ensuring that individuals can advocate for their own needs effectively.

trauma informed care and neurodivergent-affirming practice

adverse childhood experiences (aces)

As a professional, I’ve noticed a strong focus on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) when discussing trauma, which is undeniably valuable. Moreover, ACEs, such as neglect or abuse, are known to correlate with many negative outcomes. For example, they can lead to developmental delays, including challenges in language and communication (Westby, 2018). However, it should be noted that trauma extends far beyond ACEs alone.

The Broader Impact of Trauma on Language Development

While ACEs provide important insight into how early experiences shape development, they don’t fully capture the diverse ways trauma can impact language. Additionally, trauma can stem from experiences such as being consistently misunderstood, masking one’s identity, or facing social exclusion. Therefore, these experiences, particularly for neurodivergent individuals, can significantly affect communication. For instance, trauma can impact cognitive processing, emotional regulation, and overall language development.

Taking a Holistic View of Trauma

To truly support individuals, especially those who are neurodivergent, we must take a holistic view of trauma. This means recognising its many forms and understanding its broader influence on communication across the lifespan.

Principles of Trauma-Informed Care

Trauma-informed care is guided by six key principles (Office for Health Improvement & Disparities, 2022):

What are the Principles of Trauma-Informed Care?

safety

Creating an environment that prioritizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety is essential. This involves asking individuals what they need to feel safe, implementing strong safeguarding practices, preventing re-traumatization, and ensuring clear policies to protect them from harm.

trustworthiness

Building trust through transparency and consistency includes explaining actions clearly, setting realistic expectations, and following through on promises. As a result, this creates a dependable and secure environment.

collaboration

Recognizing the value of both staff and service user experiences involves seeking feedback, incorporating peer support, and working together to meet needs. Consequently, this ensures service users are actively involved in their care.

empowerment

Focusing on sharing power and amplifying voices involves listening to concerns, supporting decision-making, and recognizing that trauma can leave people feeling powerless. As a result, empowerment rebuilds confidence and self-worth.

cultural consideration

Moving beyond cultural stereotypes and biases includes gender-responsive services and recognizing the role of cultural connections in healing. Moreover, implementing inclusive policies ensures diversity is respected.

Together, these principles provide effective, respectful, and empowering support for those who have experienced trauma.

Trauma-Informed Care in Neurodivergent-Affirming Practice

Trauma-informed care prioritizes creating safe and supportive environments. Moreover, it actively avoids re-traumatization, which is especially critical for neurodivergent individuals, as masking often leads to emotional distress. Additionally, interventions focused on “normalizing” behaviors frequently encourage masking, forcing individuals to suppress their authentic selves. Consequently, this suppression can result in long-term trauma (Suh et al., 2022).

Promoting Emotional Safety in Neurodivergent-Affirming Care

By steering away from approaches that promote masking, trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming care ensures that individuals are not placed in environments that could trigger or worsen trauma (Ginapp et al., 2023). Furthermore, this approach prioritizes emotional safety, respects autonomy, and validates each person’s unique way of communicating. As a result, it helps foster healthier interactions. Finally, it also reduces the risk of further harm, promoting long-term well-being.

lived experience: essential for neurodivergent-affirming care

Research is essential in shaping speech and language therapy practices. Moreover, evidence-based interventions help ensure we’re using methods that are effective. However, to truly embrace neurodivergent-affirming care, we need to take a step back and consider what these outcomes are actually measuring.

Evaluating Interventions and Their True Impact

For instance, interventions like ABA, PECS, and social skills training are often labeled as “effective” because they aim to teach neurotypical social behaviors. Additionally, if the goal is for a neurodivergent person to “pass” as more neurotypical, researchers—who are frequently neurotypical themselves—may see this as a success. Even so, we must critically ask: success at what cost? Does this approach genuinely respect the individual’s identity, or does it prioritize conformity over authenticity?

Authenticity Over ‘Passing’ as Neurotypical: NOT neurodivergent-affirming!

Furthermore, passing as neurotypical often involves masking—hiding one’s authentic self to fit in. Although this might make someone appear more “acceptable” by societal standards, it can come at a significant emotional and psychological cost for the neurodivergent individual. Therefore, we must ask: is this what success should truly look like for them?

Balancing Lived Experience with Evidence-Based Practices

social skills training

The evidence supporting Social Skills Training (SST) for ADHDers, autistic people, and people with Tourette’s syndrome is weak. These interventions often focus on teaching neurotypical social behaviours, such as maintaining eye contact or turn-taking. However, these may not align with the natural communication styles of autistic people, ADHDers, or people with Tourette’s syndrome. Here’s a closer look:

social skills for adhders

Research shows that while social skills training (SST) may lead to short-term improvements in social behaviours for ADHDers, these gains are often not sustainable. Many ADHDers find these interventions frustrating, as they may struggle to consistently apply the skills they’ve learned (Willis et al., 2019).

social skills for autistic people

Social skills training (SST) has shown limited effectiveness for autistic people. This is because it prioritises neurotypical social norms that don’t align with how autistic people naturally communicate and interact. As a result, the pressure to conform to these norms can lead to increased stress and masking, Finally, this can have long-term negative effects on a person (Wang et al., 2021).

Why Strength-Based, Neurodivergent-Affirming Approaches Matter

A strengths-based approach focuses on a person’s abilities, talents, and what they’re already good at. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong?” it asks, “What’s right?” This shift helps people feel empowered by recognizing and building on their unique potential.

Benefits for Neurodivergent Individuals

This approach is especially helpful for neurodivergent people because it moves away from the idea of “fixing” deficits. Instead, it highlights and enhances existing skills, boosting self-confidence and resilience. A strengths-based method promotes independence, well-being, and positive outcomes. It’s about collaboration—with the individual and their support network—with self-determination and personal growth at the core.

Why a Strengths-Based Approach Matters

Research shows that when neurodivergent individuals lean into their strengths—whether in school, work, or daily life—they tend to have higher self-esteem and better outcomes (Armstrong, 2012).

The Neurodiversity movement highlights that neurodivergent traits are natural variations in how people experience the world. It calls for environments that help individuals thrive by focusing on strengths, not just challenges (Fung, 2024).

Strengths-Based Programs: Truly neurodivergent-affirming

Programs like those at the Autism Academy for Software Quality Assurance (AASQA) in Australia show the benefits of a strengths-based approach. Strengths-based opportunities for autistic teens—like coding, robotics, and the arts—boost confidence and support social communication and motivation by focusing on shared interests (Lee et al., 2023).

Intersectionality in Neurodivergent-Affirming Practice

Being intersectional means understanding that people’s identities are made up of multiple interconnected aspects. For example, race, gender, sexuality, and neurodivergence all contribute to shaping their experiences and challenges. Moreover, this perspective emphasizes that these identities do not exist in isolation but intersect, creating unique experiences of privilege and oppression.

understanding intersectionality: Essential for neurodivergent-affirming care

Understanding intersectionality is key to recognizing the diverse ways individuals navigate the world. Furthermore, this approach acknowledges that these identities continuously interact, affecting how someone experiences barriers and opportunities (Soken-Huberty, 2023).

Understanding Intersectionality in Support

An intersectional perspective considers how different forms of privilege and oppression overlap, thereby affecting a person’s access to opportunities and resources. Thus, it’s about being mindful of these complexities to ensure that support is inclusive and personalized, meeting each individual where they are in their journey.

an intersectional approach to neurodivergent-affirming practice

Research and Intersectionality in Practice

Research supports this approach, showing that considering intersecting identities leads to better outcomes in healthcare and support (Ghasemi et al., 2021). By recognizing and addressing these complexities, I provide care that is inclusive and reflective of each individual’s lived experience.

5 beneftits of intersectionality

1️⃣ better health outcomes

According to the British Medical Journal (Routen et al., 2023), intersectional approaches improve health outcomes. By addressing overlapping systems of privilege and discrimination, healthcare providers can therefore offer more personalized and effective care. As a result, this leads to better outcomes for People of the Global Majority (POGM).

2️⃣ Tackling Health Inequalities for POGM

Moreover, an intersectional approach is key to addressing health disparities. It recognizes how race, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status collectively impact healthcare access and outcomes. Therefore, acknowledging these factors enhances interventions. Consequently, this approach is particularly effective in reducing health inequalities among POGM (Ghasemi et al., 2021).

3️⃣ empowering clients

Additionally, incorporating intersectionality into healthcare and therapy highlights the diverse identities of clients. By doing so, it creates an inclusive environment where individuals feel seen and valued. As a result, research shows this approach improves engagement and commitment to personal health and well-being (Brünig, Kahrass, & Salloch, 2024).

4️⃣ improving access to care

Furthermore, intersectional practices improve access by addressing barriers faced by POGM. Healthcare systems applying this lens are better equipped to identify and remove structural obstacles. Thus, this ensures fairer access, particularly for those experiencing multiple forms of discrimination (Holman et al., 2021).

5️⃣ Enhancing Cultural competency

Finally, intersectionality enhances cultural competence by helping practitioners understand how different aspects of identity interact. Research confirms that culturally competent care improves patient satisfaction and health outcomes (Pérez-Stable & Webb Hooper, 2023).

final thoughts on neurodivergent-affirming care

Incorporating a neurodivergent-affirming approach into therapy and care is crucial for creating supportive and inclusive environments. This helps individuals feel valued and understood. By embracing intersectionality, respecting diverse identities, and practicing cultural competence, we can ensure that our services empower neurodivergent individuals and meet their unique needs.

contact

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about how neurodivergent-affirming practices can benefit speech and language therapy, feel free to reach out. Here is the contact form to get in touch. I’m here to help and provide further information on how we can work together to support your or your loved one’s journey.

references by category

intersectionality

Ghasemi, E., Majdzadeh, R., Rajabi, F., Vedadhir, A., Negarandeh, R., Jamshidi, E., Takian, A. and Faraji, Z. (2021). ‘Applying Intersectionality in designing and implementing health interventions: a scoping review’. BMC Public Health, 21(1), pp.1–13.
Holman, D., Salway, S., Bell, A., Beach, B., Adebajo, A., Ali, N. and Butt, J. (2021). Can intersectionality help with understanding and tackling health inequalities? Perspectives of professional stakeholders. Health Research Policy and Systems, 19(1).
Pérez-Stable, E.J. and Webb Hooper, M. (2023). The Pillars of Health Disparities Science—Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status. JAMA Health Forum, 4(12), p.e234463.
Routen, Ash, et al. (2023). Intersectionality in Health Equity Research. BMJ, 383, p.p2953.

general

Soken-Huberty, E. (2023). Intersectionality 101: Definition, Facts and Examples. Human Rights Careers.
Suh, H.-W., Yoon, S.-I., Hong, S., Lee, H.W., Lee, M., Kim, J.W. and Chung, S.-Y. (2022). How do children with Tourette’s syndrome and their caregivers live with the disorder? A systematic review of qualitative evidence. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13.