The Neuro-Affirming Perspective

Whether you've been involved with the Autistic community for some time or are just beginning to explore this new perspective, the term "Neuro-Affirming" is currently trending and appears frequently in discussions, groups, and posts within the Autistic Community.

According to Google, the term was first introduced in the 1990s by a sociologist named Jody Singer in Australia. I've always felt that the UK and Australia are ahead of us here in Canada (as well as the USA and many other countries) in terms of their acceptance, diagnostic tools, and understanding of the Neurodivergent brain and its workings.

The term "Neuro-Affirming" describes and emphasizes that as Autistic individuals:

1. We embrace our differences and are recognized as a unique Neurotype, born and created as intended by the universe.

2. We support a deep understanding of our needs at the core of our being in healthy and proactive ways by adjusting expectations, environments, and sensory needs.

3. We are fully accepted (by others and ourselves), and it's a shared responsibility for society to understand and support our differences—and vice versa.

4. We embrace our unique traits and patterns and recognize the benefits they bring to our lives and society.

5. We encourage stimming and other regulating behaviors when they are healthy or harmless, and we can access the necessary tools when facing challenges.

If you've encountered the term Neuro-Affirming, you've likely also come across the controversy and lack of support for ABA (applied behavioral analysis) therapies.

The Neuro-Affirming approach and ABA are completely opposed. In short, ABA was originally designed to eliminate (what were considered) Autistic behaviors and force individuals to conform and appear Neuro-typical instead.

Understand that our knowledge and understanding of Autism has grown rapidly over the past few decades. (I say this cautiously, as it doesn't always feel like we're progressing as quickly as some would like!). The first person ever diagnosed with Autism only recently passed away in 2023 at the age of 89.

Info dump: His name was Donald Gray Triplett, born in Mississippi, and he was known for his ability to perform mental math and identify musical notes as they were played.

Donald was diagnosed as Autistic 10 years after his birth, and ABA was developed in the 1960s, about 20 years later.

The definition of ABA is: (quoted directly from Wikipedia)

“A scientific discipline that utilizes the principles of learning based upon respondent and operant conditioning to make socially significant changes in a subject's behavior”.

ABA was also created as a result of experimental research that included the use of shock therapy to encourage individuals to appear more "normal" and eliminate all surface traits associated with Autism. In the 60s, it was considered a breakthrough and a cure for Autism—essentially "The answer to treating autism," and the therapy was highly sought after by parents.

Like all medical treatments and therapies, ABA was also very costly.

Info Dump: You can search for the Aston case in 2002, where parents took legal action against the BC government for failing to fund this sought-after therapy. Shortly after winning their case, Direct Autism Funding was established, now known as AFU funding.

Autistic People say NO to ABA

Many Autistic and Neurodivergent adults have spoken out against the ABA therapies they experienced as children, suggesting that despite achieving the intended results, they considered it abusive, toxic, and harmful to their mental health and emotional stability. I highly recommend exploring the stories and experiences available online.

While ABA was being developed, so were other parenting methods challenging traditional views of child-rearing. Think... positive parenting, gentle parenting, and even further into the No Cry Sleep Solution and Attachment Parenting. Ross Greene also emerged with his alternative psychological perspective on child behavior (he is in his late 60s).

I mention different parenting styles because the concept and psychological understanding have also evolved from the 1960s to the present in a similar way:

Positive parenting was developed many years ago in the 1920s by a psychologist named Alfred Adler. (I'm info dumping again!) He believed that each child should be treated as an individual and given the dignity and respect that was typically reserved for adults at the time.

The idea of positive parenting became more mainstream in the 1990s.

Do you see the connection I draw between positive parenting and Neuro-affirmation? A new and better way is definitely on the rise across the board!

Neuro-affirming, or neurodiversity-affirming, is a concept that recognizes and supports the

diversity of neurotypes, or types of brains. I support the idea that neurodivergence is a necessary part of humanity's evolution: outside-the-box thinkers and personalities are advancing technology, concepts, empathy, and compassion.

Neurodiversity Affirming Practice Diagram

It's based on the belief that differences in abilities and how people interact with the world are natural, not deficits that need to be "fixed." Also with the understanding that you cannot judge a person by their cover. (i.e.: Non-Verbal doesn't a person has no words, it just means the individual cannot speak them)

It values and understands all the different ways of thinking, learning, and experiencing the world.

It aims to empower and support unique needs and strengths.

It allows us to be ourselves. It doesn’t require us to change to become someone different. It allows us to struggle and understand why we feel what we feel and support those feelings-instead of being made to feel like there is something wrong with us because we don’t operate like everyone else.

It’s simply a different operating system. (I once heard it compared to the difference between iPhone and Android.

Different. Not less.

And understanding and acceptance can make a significant difference in a person's mental health and essentially improve their quality of life.

Life matters only to the perspective of the person experiencing it. It will look different for everyone.

Embracing differences and even encouraging them is a huge step in evolution for humanity.