Draft:Neuroaffirming Therapy
 | Draft article not currently submitted for review.
This is a draft Articles for creation (AfC) submission. It is not currently pending review. While there are no deadlines, abandoned drafts may be deleted after six months. To edit or make changes to this draft, simply click on the "Edit" tab at the top of the window. To be accepted, a draft should:
It is strongly discouraged to write about either yourself or your business or employer. If you do so, you must declare it. Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
Last edited by BKHealy (talk | contribs) 9 days ago. (Update) |
| Neuroaffirming Therapy | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Clinical psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology |
| Approach | Affirming and supporting neurodivergent identities and neurotypes while addressing societal barriers, individual challenges, individual support needs, and more |
Neuroaffirming Therapy, also known as Neuroinclusive Therapy, is a therapeutic approach and paradigm found in clinical psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, and more that validates and supports a neurodivergent patient's identity while also addressing barriers of existing in a neurotypical world and their individual support needs and challenges.[1][2][3]
Practice
[edit]History
[edit]Neuroaffirming care is a recent development in the healthcare industry.
"Neurodiversity" was coined in approximately 1996 by autistic individuals in the online groups Independent Living and the Institute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical.[5][6] It was first officially published in 1998 in an article by Harvey Blume.[7] The neurodiversity movement also began on the internet in the late 1990s.[8][9] This occurred alongside the autistic rights movement, which began in the 1990s.[10][11]
In line with the neurodiversity framework, neuroaffirming care means validating the lived experience, stimming, and neurodivergent behaviors of neurodivergent patients while also acknowledging and supporting their specific barriers and impairments.[12][13] Neuroaffirming care also follows the social model of disability.[14] Neuroaffirming therapy doesn't see a neurodivergent identity or diagnosis as "something to be fixed"[4], but as a neurotype.[12] A neurotype, according to the Institute of Neurodiversity, is "the particular wiring or functioning of an individual’s brain."[15]
In The Conversation, Josephine Barbaro defined neuroaffirming care as care that "centres “lived experience” in its design and delivery, and positions people with disability as experts" and as a form of "culturally responsive" care.[14]
According to the Australian Psychological Society, neuroaffirming care requires practitioners to "Understand neurodiversity, strengths-based, trauma-informed and positive approaches to supporting people with developmental disability [and] Demonstrate the ability to adapt psychological practice and make reasonable adjustments for people with disability, including understanding of alternative and augmentative communication."[16]
While there is no official date that it first began being practiced, neuroaffirming care and therapies began gaining traction in the 2010s.[16]
In December 2025, the Australian Psychological Society made neuroaffirming therapy a "core competency included in the Psychology Board of Australia competencies."[16]
Philosophical principles
[edit]Neuroaffirming Therapy Environment
[edit]Common changes that are made to ensure an affirming and inclusive therapy space are:
- Visual cues throughout the space and/or visual guide of the space on the website
- "Information on what to expect" in an appointment [1]
- Symbols associated with neurodiversity movement and/or autistic pride
- Tailored resources to neurodivergent patients [1], including non-speaking patients[17]
- Neuroinclusive and sensory-friendly physical environment
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Neff, Megan Anna (February 7, 2024). "Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy". Neurodivergent Insights. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
- 1 2 Jonesberg, Jesse. "Neuroaffirming Care: 5 Principles for Therapists". Brainspotting Online. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
- ↑ "Embracing neurodiversity affirmative practice: A path to inclusive support for autistic people". National Autistic Society. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
- 1 2 Pryal, Katie Rose Guest. "What Is Neurodiversity-Affirming Care?". Psychology Today. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
- ↑ Botha, Monique; Chapman, Robert; Giwa Onaiwu, Morénike; Kapp, Steven K; Stannard Ashley, Abs; Walker, Nick (June 2024). "The neurodiversity concept was developed collectively: An overdue correction on the origins of neurodiversity theory". Autism. 28 (6): 1591–1594. doi:10.1177/13623613241237871. ISSN 1362-3613.
- ↑ "A correction on the origin of the term 'neurodiversity'". InLv. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
- ↑ Blume, Harvey (1998-09-30). "Neurodiversity". The Atlantic. ISSN 2151-9463. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
- ↑ Tisoncik, Laura A. (2020), Kapp, Steven K. (ed.), "Autistics.Org and Finding Our Voices as an Activist Movement", Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement, Singapore: Springer Singapore, pp. 65–76, doi:10.1007/978-981-13-8437-0_5, ISBN 978-981-13-8436-3, retrieved 2026-09-23
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link) - ↑ Murray, Dinah (2020), Kapp, Steven K. (ed.), "Autistic People Against Neuroleptic Abuse", Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement, Singapore: Springer Singapore, pp. 51–63, doi:10.1007/978-981-13-8437-0_4, ISBN 978-981-13-8436-3, retrieved 2026-09-23
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link) - ↑ Solomon, Andrew (23 May 2008). "The New Wave of Autism Rights Activists". New York Magazine. Archived from the original on 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- ↑ Greene, Jim (2022). "Autism rights movement". EBSCO. Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- 1 2 "What does it mean to be neurodiversity affirmative?". British Psychological Society. Archived from the original on 2026-01-18. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
- ↑ Roberts, Julie (2022-04-05). "Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy: Positions, Therapy Goals, and Best Practices". Therapist Neurodiversity Collective. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
- 1 2 Barbaro, Josephine (2024-05-08). "Neuroaffirming care values the strengths and differences of autistic people, those with ADHD or other profiles. Here's how". The Conversation. doi:10.64628/AA.ufxurh4mw. Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- ↑ Valeur, Charlotte (2024-09-10). "The Power of Beliefs About Neurotypes". Institute of Neurodiversity. Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- 1 2 3 "PsyBA competency updates: now is the time to enhance your neurodiversity-affirming practice". The Australian Psychological Society. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
- ↑ "How to Tell If a Therapist is (Really) Neurodiversity-Affirming". Alma. Retrieved 2026-09-22.