Neuroaffirming care in uncertain times

With recent announcements in the budget about cutting NDIS costs and plans, many neurodiverse clients have been fearful of the effects it may have on their plans, or if they can stay on the scheme. Currently, we are seeing high demand for Functional Capacity Assessments (FCA) as people are wishing to have recently updated assessments, as well as increased need for neuoaffirming care.

This has been a genuine challenge in the Riverina and Central West regions where there are less workers, with many resorting to telehealth due to a lack of local services. Regardless of whether these supports continue under the NDIS or the new Foundational Supports, care should still be delivered in a neuroaffirming manner.

Neuroaffirming care is more than just language. It is about communicating in a way that respects a person’s individuality. This also includes those who had adapted to find ways to manage through things, such as using routine and prompts to support difficulties in day-to-day life. I, use ongoing g prompts and reminders to ensure I stay focussed and on track, otherwise, I often will simply forget to do something until it is too late!

This also includes acknowledging the difficulties faced by the neurodiverse community. Often, because of neurodiversity, many are left feeling isolated, that they don’t belong and questioning why they are different from others. In younger people, this can also include being excluded, bullying in and out of the school and even needing additional support at times.

These impacts have long term consequences, often making other conditions such as anxiety and depression worse, as well as other areas such as increasing self-harm and suicidality. Therapy should have a focus on also exploring ways we learned how to get through, as well as the creativity we did in doing so.

This will also vary as to when someone was diagnosed. I was not diagnosed until later in life, and the sense this can give can be a relief. However, when faced about the prospect of neurodiversity, we often have very different experiences, as well as our families and loved ones. Understanding different people’s meanings of this from within their stories and how they adapted as a result is such an essential part to neuroaffirming counselling.

It can take time to find the therapist that will fit and meet you ‘where you are at’ this is why I encourage people to try and get a sense of their prospective therapists and even call a few places to get a sense where may be a good choice. Telehealth of neurodiversity is something I often do, and many find this extremely useful around schedules or if there are anxiety doing things face to face. This provides many, more flexible options for those seeking this support.