Foundations of Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy
Reducing therapeutic barriers and supporting authentic expression in neurodivergent clients.
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2-Hour Training
CPD Qualifying -
Clinical Resources
Ready-to-Use Tools
Foundations of Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy
About This Training
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Autistic and ADHD clients often face barriers in traditional therapy, from sensory overwhelm to masked communication. This foundational training reimagines clinical care through a neurodivergent-affirming lens, helping you create a more spacious, identity-affirming therapy environment.Grounded in clinical practice, lived experience, and emerging research, Dr. Neff introduces the S.P.A.C.E. model — Sensory, Predictability, Acceptance, Communication, Empathy — originally developed by Doherty, McCowan, and Shaw for healthcare settings and here adapted for therapeutic work. You’ll gain practical strategies to reduce barriers, build trust, and foster authentic self-expression for neurodivergent clients.The training includes lecture-style instruction, clinical examples, and guided reflections designed to support the learning objectives and facilitate application in clinical and supervisory settings.
Training Overview
What You'll Learn
By the end of this training, you will be able to:
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Identify key barriers that Autistic and ADHD clients face in traditional therapy settings, including sensory overwhelm and masked communication, and explain how these barriers impact safety and connection.
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Apply the S.P.A.C.E. framework (Sensory, Predictability, Acceptance, Communication, Empathy) to create therapy environments that affirm neurodivergent identities and support authentic self-expression.
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Demonstrate strategies for honoring communication diversity, co-regulation, and power-sharing in therapeutic interactions with neurodivergent clients.
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Integrate neurodivergent-affirming practices into clinical or supervisory settings, using client-ready visuals and tools to enhance predictability, acceptance, and trust.
What's Included
Intended Audience
This training is ideal for:
Course Level
Contents & Materials
Speaker Bio
Dr. Megan Anna Neff
Dr. Megan Anna Neff is an AuDHD clinical psychologist, author, and educator who founded Neurodivergent Insights after discovering she is Autistic and ADHD.
Through Neurodivergent Insights, she and her neurodivergent-led team create visual-forward resources that blend research, clinical insight, and lived experience. They support individuals, clinicians, and communities — helping neurodivergent people feel seen, validated, and empowered in systems that often miss them.
Through Neurodivergent Insights, she and her neurodivergent-led team create visual-forward resources that blend research, clinical insight, and lived experience. They support individuals, clinicians, and communities — helping neurodivergent people feel seen, validated, and empowered in systems that often miss them.
Course Format
This course is exclusively online, fully self-paced, and on-demand (meaning it's immediately accessible). You will maintain ongoing online access through your account.
Technology Needed
You will need reliable internet connection and a device capable of streaming video and accessing the digital downloads included in this course.
Prerequisites
There are no formal prerequisites. This is intermediate-level content intended for mental health professionals (or any interested adult).
Accessibility
This course is designed to be accessible and ND-affirming. Videos include captions and transcripts, learning is self‑paced, there are no time limits, and resources are digital.
Please contact us for additional accommodations:
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