Neurodiversity-Affirming Counselling Approach

My counselling approach is rooted in acceptance, curiosity, respect, empowerment, and neurodiversity-affirming care.

A Neurodivergent-Affirming Approach

Neurodivergent-affirming care focuses on each person’s unique strengths, needs, and ways of processing the world, rather than trying to change them or work against their natural functioning. It centres self-understanding, autonomy, and compassion, supporting people to exist authentically and create lives that empower and support them as they are. Growth happens in ways that align with individual strengths and functioning, rather than towards neuro-normative behaviour. My experience living with chronic illness and a dynamic disability also shapes my emphasis on pacing, capacity, and creating space that honours the body’s needs without pressure or expectation. I offer this work through online counselling for neurodivergent adults across British Columbia.

In counselling sessions, this looks like:

  • Honouring all communication styles (pauses, info-dumping, more thinking time)

  • Welcoming stimming, movement, & fidget toys

  • Adding more structure or more flexibility in sessions

  • Encouraging direct/blunt communication

  • Rephrasing of questions to be clearer

  • Not expecting eye contact

  • Encouraging whatever body position feels right in sessions

  • Validating lived experiences of masking, burnout, and difference

  • Using modalities that fit you, not forcing ones that don’t

  • Emphasizing self-understanding, autonomy, and compassion

  • Flexible session formats (phone call, Zoom with cameras off, Zoom messaging)

Anti-Oppressive and Decolonial Practice

I am committed to anti-oppressive practices and actively work to decolonize my practice and knowledge. I recognize the harm that many Eurocentric colonial modalities have on individuals, knowing that I have more to learn. I seek to recognize and address the systemic forms of oppression that impact neurodivergent people, as well as their intersectional experiences of marginalization, including race, gender, sexual orientation, culture, religion, disability, and socio-economic status. As a polyamorous person, I also bring an understanding of the plentiful ways that human connection exists outside of mono-normative and colonial frameworks. This is a sex-positive space where pleasure, liberation, and all forms of intimacy and relational expression are welcome.

In counselling sessions, this looks like:

  • Remaining accountable and welcoming feedback on my language and actions as an integral part of our work together

  • Centring your lived experience and cultural knowledge as expertise

  • Working to remove therapist/client power dynamics

  • Honouring Indigenous, people of the global majority, and community-based ways of knowing

  • Actively reflecting on my own social location, privilege, and biases

  • Using language that is inclusive, accessible, and trauma-informed, to the best of my knowledge

  • Having conversations about identity, oppression, and systemic marginalization & barriers

  • Integrating knowledge & frameworks that move beyond Eurocentric and pathologizing models

  • Valuing relationship, reciprocity, and collective healing

I specialize in

  • Autism

  • AuDHD

  • Gender identity & sexual orientation

  • Polyamory & non-monogamous relationships

  • Chronic illness

  • Burnout

  • Trauma

Therapeutic approaches I integrate

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Somatic Therapy

  • Polyvagal Theory & Nervous-System Based

  • Attachment & Relational

  • Feminist Therapy

  • Existential Therapy

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Recently identified neurodivergence

  • Individuals questioning if they are Autistic or AuDHD

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Unique lifestyles

  • Executive functioning