Are You Actually Neurodivergent Affirming? An Interview with Sonny Jane Wise

Curt and Katie interview Sonny Jane Wise, the Lived Experience Educator. We chat about therapists getting stuck in neuro-normative expectations and norms or refusing to accept medication or accommodations as neurodivergent affirming. We look at how you can get more creative and individualized to support neurodivergent individuals more effectively. We also look specifically at neurodivergent friendly DBT and whether skills-deficit models are inherently ableist.

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode, we talk about creating neurodivergent affirmative therapy practices

Too often, therapists create goals and engage in practices that are neuro-normative. When working with neurodivergent clients and their families, these practices can be harmful. We asked Sonny Jane Wise, the Lived Experience Educator, to talk with us about how to best incorporate neurodivergent affirming practices for therapy.

What do therapists get wrong when moving toward neurodiversity affirming practice?

·      Removing medication or accommodations as an acceptable option

·      Failing to allow for individual differences and preferences

·      Neuro-normativity shows up in goals, especially looking at independence and productivity

·      Setting expectations inappropriately

How can therapists become more neurodivergent affirming?

·      Understanding the impacts of intersectionality on how someone chooses how they navigate their neurodivergence

·      Moving away from independence as the goal of therapy

·      Understanding that a neurodivergent person’s needs are more important than neuro-normative norms

·      Getting creative with problem-solving and communication

·      Recognizing differences, learning to work with them and not try to change them or work against them

Are skills-deficit based models (like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) inherently ableist?

·      When the model states that the problem lies with the individual, then it is ableist

·      Adjusting the environment and the external factors is more appropriate

·      DBT skills can be helpful to learn emotions regulation that wasn’t learned when growing up

·      It is important to recognize differences and giving opportunities to work with differences

·      Letting go of the one size fits all and moving toward options

What is an ideal for neurodiversity affirming spaces?

·      Viewing differences as differences and not something to be fixed or changed

·      Needs based system (not diagnosis-based system)

·      Understanding that everyone needs different things and accommodations, not just those with

·      Removing neuro-normative standards and expectations

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Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/