Questions
If a broad question feels overwhelming, we can make it more specific.
LaurunaCounsellingGet in touchNeurodiversity and counselling
Being neurodivergent does not tell me who you are.
It does not tell me how you communicate, how you experience emotions, what you find difficult, what you are good at or what you need from counselling.
Beginning with you
Two people with the same diagnosis can experience the world very differently.
That is why I don't want to begin with assumptions about what being autistic, having ADHD or being otherwise neurodivergent means for you. I would rather begin by getting to know you.
Counselling itself can sometimes come with expectations. You might be asked broad questions such as “What would you like to talk about today?”, expected to recognise or describe feelings in a particular way, or find that the way you communicate is interpreted differently from how you intended it.
For some people, these things are helpful. For others, they are not. For me, being person-centred includes noticing those differences and being willing to adapt.
Making counselling fit the person
Silence
If silence doesn't feel helpful, we don't have to use it.
Communication
If you prefer clear and direct language, we can use it.
Processing
If you need time to process a question, there is no pressure to answer immediately.
No assumptions about what your behaviour means.
I will not assume that avoiding eye contact, stimming, speaking logically or communicating in a particular way tells me what you are feeling.
Equally, I don't want to assume that everything you do or feel is because you are neurodivergent.
Neurodivergence may be an important part of understanding some experiences and less relevant to others. We don't have to decide that in advance — we can be curious about it together.
The important thing is that counselling does not ask you to fit the way I work. The way we work should make room for you.