Information about Mental Health Occupational Therapy for the Neurodiverse Population
neurodiversity
Being neurodiverse means you learn and experience the world differently from neurotypical people. These neurological differences are a normal part of human variation.
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Neurodiversity is an umbrella term that includes those people with neurological variations that impact the way they interact with and experience the world, i.e. those with autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, learning disabilities, bipolar, etc.
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If you identify with the neurodiverse population, you may be interested in The Neurodiversity Club - a positive forum and community created around the principles of the strengths-based model. ​
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If you're interested in the research...
Strengths-based practice prioritizes a person's inherent strengths and interests rather than focusing solely on remediating their deficits. This positively impacts well-being and empowers people to live meaningfully.
Occupational therapists are called to affirm neurodivergent ways of being and doing. OTP's should respect the neurodiverse patients' autonomy and agency by actively listening and collaborating with them. The priority of treatment should be improving well-being and quality of life.
Neurodiversity as a concept
Neurodiversity as a concept was first coined in 1998 by Judy Singer, a social scientist with autism. Neurodiversity has become a positive and helpful framework that empowers, rather than pathologizes, different ways of learning and interacting with the social and physical environment.
Sensory Processing & Mental Health
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Sensory processing is the means by which we experience the world around us. It is the way our brain processes input from the environment, integrates it, and comes up with a response. This neurological process occurs automatically and subconsciously.
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Everyone has a neurological threshold for how much input they can tolerate before it becomes too much. Neurotypical people are able to filter out, or modulate, unnecessary sensory stimuli to engage in a task or accomplish a goal and are able to maintain regulation. People with sensory processing differences or disorder are typically unable to filter out all of the unnecessary stimuli, and neurological processes become disordered. The result is, at best, discomfort and, at worst, a meltdown and isolation due to overstimulation.This then can significantly affect self-concept and well-being.
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Mental health OT can help by providing sustainable sensory and regulatory strategies to help neurodiverse individuals flourish
In the process of working with neurodiverse individuals with sensory processing differences, I noticed a pattern. The majority of them would describe similar feelings around their sensory processing differences. They disclosed how they constantly felt like an alien in the world, feeling “weird” and “unable to cope.” Often, they expressed experiences of bullying and marginalization throughout their life because of their sensory sensitivities and needs. Negative emotions such as shame and fear became the default feelings associated with their differences. I realized I could not separate an individual's sensory processing patterns and their mental health. With this in mind, an approach emerged that could address the two:
Sensory Processing + Mental Health
SENSORY HEALTH
Sensory processing and mental health are intimately connected. Recognizing this integration, my approach to sensory health is centered around habit formation and is reinforced by principles of cognitive behavioral therapy. We focus on creating regulating habits, routines, and rituals that sustain positive change in the patients’ lives. We supplement this by addressing the underlying automatic thought and behavioral patterns associated with the change.
If you'd like to learn more, check out my article on Sensory Health, pending publication in AOTA's OT Practice magazine 2024
