The Benefits of Neurodivergent Therapy: Supporting Your Unique Brain
Neurodivergence refers to people who have brains that are wired a little bit differently than most other people. The most common types of neurodivergence are Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but it can also refer to learning differences or sensory processing issues.
Many people coming to Fuzzy Socks Therapy tell us they’ve tried therapy before and it didn’t work, often because the therapist didn’t understand their neurodivergence. That’s why neurodivergent therapy is so important. It’s not just about offering support; it’s about providing care that’s informed, respectful, and tailored to your unique way of thinking and experiencing the world. Unfortunately, many clients share that previous therapists didn’t know how to truly support their needs or even how to “deal” with their neurodivergence, leaving them feeling misunderstood and frustrated.
Our Approach: Working With Your Brain, Not Against It
At Fuzzy Socks Therapy, we like to think of it as working with the neurodivergent brain rather than against it. Because your brain is your brain, this isn’t some sci-fi movie where the mad scientist is tinkering around in a lab, working on a technology that will drastically alter the brain overnight.
This is real life. And we know that in real life, we all need to work with what we’ve got. That means that we don’t just look at you as a diagnosis, but as a whole human being that has strengths and challenges just like any other human being.
What is Neurodivergent-Affirming therapy?
This term originally came about because people with ADHD and/or Autism often had negative experiences with medical or therapy providers. Many clients have talked about feeling pathologized, in other words, feeling like the provider treated them like they were damaged or had a disease that needed to be cured. The treatments focused on getting rid of behaviors or traits that were associated with the diagnosis. So, for example, some therapies focused on teaching Autistic kids not to flap their hands anymore. The community responded by saying they didn’t want to be treated like they had the flu, so the term “neurodivergent-affirming” was born!
Neurodivergent Therapy Based on Your Priorities
At Fuzzy Socks Therapy, we believe it’s important to explore and acknowledge your strengths and your challenges, whether they’re related to neurodivergence or not. What you work on is your choice, not ours. Unless it’s causing a concern about safety (like using substances to cope with your anxiety), we only work on improving the issues that you want to change.
This mirrors what we all do in life all the time. Take me, for example. I’m a terrible athlete. I mean, REALLY terrible. I joined the basketball team in high school because it got me out of my P.E. requirement, and I spent a good amount of time warming up the bench for the good players. My coordination sucks, and I won’t be winning any body building competitions ever in my life. 🤣
Now, if this lack of athleticism bothered me, I could choose to work on improving it. I could hire a personal trainer, start running every day, or join a sports league to improve my skills. I doubt I’d ever make it big as a professional athlete, but if I really wanted to, I know I could improve my strength, coordination, and aim.
Here’s the thing though. I really don’t care that I suck at sports. It’s fine. I do exercise for my own health benefits, but I’m okay with the fact that I’m not participating in races or team sports. So, I don’t choose to join a running club or spend lots of time practicing throwing a ball into a net.
And that’s okay. That’s my choice. I’m not hurting myself or anyone else by sucking at sports.
Applying This to Therapy
The same thing goes for therapy. If something is going on that is negatively impacting your life and you want to look at it, we’ll look at it. If you have a neurodivergent trait that doesn’t have a major negative impact on your life and you don’t want to work on it, that’s okay too. That just means we’ll focus on something else.
That’s one of the biggest benefits of neurodivergent therapy. We work with each other as a team to improve the issues on your list. Rather than working with just any therapist that may or may not understand your neurodivergence, we get it and we get you.
What Does it Mean to be Strengths-Based?
When I first heard this term in school, I didn’t really get it. What’s the point of sitting around talking about how awesome you are all the time? You come to therapy to solve your problems, not just get compliments on your strengths.
Then I learned that this term just means that we’re honoring and even utilizing your strengths throughout the therapy process. Something like ADHD hyperfocus, for example, can be both good and bad at times, depending on the context and your needs. So we try to utilize that hyperfocus when it benefits you and help you get out of it when you need to let your attention be drawn elsewhere.
Using Hyperfocus as a Strength
Let’s look at an example of this. Let’s say you’re really good at hyperfocusing on fixing broken appliances. When that microwave stops working, you can take it apart, look at all the pieces, fix what’s broken, and put it all back together again. That’s awesome!
The issue comes when you don’t have enough time to really dive into it. And as someone who hyperfocuses, you know that once you start, it would take an earthquake to tear you away from your project.
So if you only have 20 minutes before you need to leave for work, it’s probably not the best time to start tinkering around in that microwave. One goal of therapy could be working on slowing yourself down so you can make an informed decision about when to get started on that project.
But we’re not trying to stop you from focusing on fixing the microwave. We’re just trying to tweak some things here and there to make it less stressful and fit better into your life.
Understanding Sensory Needs
Another great example of this is sensory stimulation. We all do things to either increase or decrease sensory stimulation all the time. Anytime you see someone clicking a pen a bunch of times or dimming the lights, they’re engaging in an action to better meet their sensory needs at that moment.
ADHD and Autistic people sometimes do things to meet sensory needs that may be a little different than what we usually see. That could be vocal stimming (humming, repeating words/phrases), visual (placing an object at a certain angle within your line of sight), auditory (increasing/decreasing the volume of a sound or music), or movement based (clapping, flapping hands, spinning, sitting in different positions, etc.).
With a strengths-based approach, we again go back to the question of examining how this sensory action is impacting your life and whether or not you want to change that.
So let’s say you have a habit of twirling your hair when feeling anxious. Unless you’re doing it too forcefully, it’s not causing any harm or safety issue, so it’s not something that needs to change unless you want it to. So then the question becomes, do you want to change it? If not, we don’t worry about it.
If you do want to change it, then we use that information to help us figure out something else that may work instead. Your body wants some sort of sensory stimulation for your scalp, your hand, or both. Instead of dismissing that information and trying 5 million other things to curb that habit, we use it to our advantage. So maybe we try fidgeting with a hair tie in your hand instead of your hair. Or you give yourself permission to run a comb through your hair for a few minutes. And simultaneously, we work on reducing the anxiety so you don’t feel the need to twirl your hair quite as much.
This can look a lot of different ways, but the point is that we’re using what we know to inform next steps to get you where you want to be.
Exploring Your Identity as a Neurodivergent Person:
Some people like to think of their neurodivergence as a “superpower” and love to tell everyone about it. Other people struggle a lot with the impact their neurodivergence has on their life and would rather vomit than call it a superpower.
In my experience, most people fall somewhere in between these two ends of the spectrum. And for many people, their feelings about their neurodivergence can change day to day.
There’s no right or wrong answer here. With the support of a neurodivergent affirming therapist, you can explore your thoughts and feelings about your neurodivergence in a way that feels genuine and doesn’t include any judgment from me. Therapy is your space and your time. It’s not for me to dictate how you “should” or “shouldn’t” feel about your ADHD or Autism.
You Define Your Identity
Whether you prefer “person-first language” (for example, “person with ADHD”) or “identity-first language” (for example, “Autistic person”), that choice is 100% yours.
There are a lot of people out there in the neurodivergent community who will tell you that you “should” use one terminology over the other, and honestly…it’s horseshit.
You get to decide how you identify yourself and to the world. And if that identity is one thing today and something else next week, that’s fine. Part of neurodivergent therapy is understanding and exploring what neurodivergence means to you.
Day-to-Day Coping & Executive Functioning Support
Let’s be real—everyday life can feel exhausting when your brain doesn’t fit the mold. For a lot of neurodivergent people, things like getting started on tasks, staying organized, or managing time aren’t just tough—they can feel nearly impossible some days. That’s not because you’re lazy or unmotivated. It’s because your brain is wired differently, and most systems out there aren’t built with that in mind.
That’s where neurodivergent-affirming therapy comes in. Instead of pushing you to “just try harder,” a therapist who gets it will help you create tools and strategies that actually work for you. Think of it as building a life that fits your brain, not trying to force your brain to fit someone else’s idea of “normal.”
Practical Tools and Support in Therapy
In therapy, you might work on things like figuring out routines that don’t overwhelm you, using checklists or visual reminders to keep track of tasks, or breaking things down into smaller, doable steps. A good therapist will never shame you for needing external supports—they’ll help you embrace them as smart, effective ways to get through the day.
Sensory stuff is a big part of this, too. Whether it’s lights that are too bright, noise that’s too loud, or clothes that just feel wrong, your nervous system is constantly giving you information. A therapist can help you build routines that take your sensory needs into account, like creating a calming morning routine or using tools like noise-canceling headphones during the day.
Social situations can be another daily stressor. Things like setting boundaries, unmasking, or just saying what you really need can feel tricky, especially if you’ve been told for years to act a certain way. Therapy can give you a safe space to practice, get support, and build confidence in showing up as your real self.
The best part? Therapy like this helps you let go of the pressure to do things the “right” way and instead find your way. Maybe that means working in short bursts, taking more breaks, or finally giving yourself permission to rest without guilt. That’s not cheating—it’s honoring your brain and your energy.
In the end, it’s not about being perfect. It’s about feeling more in control, less overwhelmed, and more at peace in your everyday life.
Therapy That Works With Your Brain, Not Against It
Neurodivergent-affirming therapy isn’t about fixing you—it’s about helping you thrive as you are. It gives you the tools and support to navigate life with more confidence, clarity, and compassion for yourself.
Whether you’re struggling with emotional ups and downs, figuring out who you are underneath all the masking, or just trying to get through your to-do list without melting down, this kind of therapy can make a huge difference.
You don’t have to keep forcing yourself to fit into a world that wasn’t built for you. You deserve support that actually understands you and works with your brain, not against it.
If you’ve ever felt like traditional therapy didn’t quite get it, you’re not alone. But there is help out there that sees your strengths, respects your needs, and believes in your potential. You’re not too much—you’ve just been trying to do too much alone.
And you don’t have to anymore.
Feel Seen, Heard, and Valued Through Neurodivergent Therapy in Scottsdale, AZ
You deserve support that honors how your brain works—not one that tries to change who you are. If you’re ready to feel more understood, confident, and grounded, Fuzzy Socks Therapy is here for you. Let’s find a path forward together with neurodivergent therapy in Scottsdale, AZ that actually fits you. Follow these three simple steps to get started:
Meet with Lianna, an affirming Neurodivergent Therapist.
Feel more understood and confident as a neurodivergent individual!
Additional Counseling Services at Fuzzy Socks Therapy
At Fuzzy Socks Therapy in Scottsdale, AZ, neurodivergent therapy is just one part of the support we offer. We understand that your needs may go beyond neurodivergence, which is why our services are designed to meet you and your family where you are. From individual therapy for children and teens to couples therapy, discernment counseling, youth social skills groups, and parent coaching for families navigating neurodivergence—we’re here to help. Want to dive deeper into what neurodivergent therapy can offer? Check out our latest blog post!
