*Chrissy Foreman (2025) Therapeutic collage*

If you or your loved one have recently been diagnosed as ADHD, Autistic or AuDHD, it can feel overwhelming and challenging to find neuro-affirming supports.

Neuro-affirming means someone who has the training, current research, ethics and hopefully, lived experience of being, working or living with neurodivergent people.

Unfortunately, many medical practitioners and service providers do not understand the finer nuances of living as a neurodivergent person in the world, and may recommend a one-size fits all approach. However, every autistic and ADHD person will have their unique skills, experiences, challenges, culture and capacity to bring into the therapeutic space, so having specific understanding of neurodivergent brains, nervous systems, and ways of being is crucial for finding meaningful, aligned supports.

*Artful Presence Cards -* *available here*

Why is neuro-affirming support essential?

Many specialists will give people a diagnosis of ADHD and/or Autism, and then send them on their way, with no information or links to finding suitable supports, or what to do next.

Furthermore, many late-diagnosed neurodivergent people may have significant medical trauma from a lifetime of specialists and practitioners not understanding or believing their needs and symptoms, because practitioners are either not specifically trained with current autism and ADHD research, or they don’t have the lived experience of what it’s like to live with a neurodivergent body-mind - both strengths and challenges.

Whether you’re late-diagnosed, or have a neurodivergent child; neuro-affirming supports are imperative to help rediscover who you are, understand how to get your needs met (or what your needs even are), and offer supportive, co-created structures to assist in developing a new way of living in the world that’s conducive to your interests, capacity and nervous system.

*A supportive, caring team can helps us bloom*

tips for finding neuro-affirming supports:

Below are some of my own tried and tested tips for locating supports and services that are neuro-affirming. If you feel overwhelmed or not currently capable of doing this yourself (it can feel like a LOT!), please consider asking for help from a loved one or a health practitioner you trust, to assist you in your search.

1. Before working with a new provider, visit their website and read their bio. Look for qualifications, training, skills, affiliations, interests, lived experience and experience working with ADHD and Autistic clients

2. Use the words ‘Neuro-affirming’ in your Google search for a new practitioner. Eg. “Neuro-affirming art therapist near me”

3. Consider opening up your search for online practitioners who offer zoom sessions, as it may be hard to find neuro-affirming practitioners in your area

4. Ask neurodivergent friends and family for neuro-affirming recommendations - people who aren’t just adequate, but who they look forward to seeing, because they feel safe and understood with them

5. If you have even one practitioner you currently feel well supported by, ask them for their tips and recommendations too

6. Listen to free podcasts on topics related to neurodivergence, and if you hear a guest speaker or service provider that feels good to you, reach out to them via their website - they may have availability and/or resources to assist you on your search for the right providers

7. Go to registration bodies that offer the kind of support you’re looking for (eg. PACFA or ANZACATA for art therapists, or the Psychology Board of Australia for a psychologist) to search their database for neuro-affirming practitioners

8. Lastly, when it comes to supports, something isn’t better than nothing, as the wrong kind of supports for your neurotype can be more harmful than helpful. If you’re currently working with someone who belittles you, brushes you off, or doesn’t listen to your lived experience, you’re under no obligation to stay with them. Start your search for a new provider who can help support you. They’re out there and getting true, authentic neuro-affirming support can be life-changing. It has been for me!

This list is not exhaustive, it’s simply what I’ve learned along my own journey of finding a neuro-affirming team of practitioners to support me, post diagnosis.

I do understand that all these suggestions come with privilege of financial and cognitive capacity to choose service providers independently, which many autistic and ADHD people do not have access to.

I can recommend Reframing Autism as a great website with lots of free resources, courses and information, if financial constraints are a currently reality for you.

I know it can feel like a lot, but once you find the right team of supports, life can really open up 💗

I wish you all the best on your support-team search.

With care and creativity,

Chrissy