What are the benefits of therapy for neurodivergent adults?

You may be asking yourself or even searching online, 'What are the benefits of therapy for neurodivergent adults?'. It can feel like a big risk to start therapy, especially if you're neurodivergent.

Asking for help can feel scary. Maybe you're wondering whether your therapist will be neurodivergent-affirming (check out my other article, Neurodiversity-affirming therapy: What is it and how to find it? for more information on this) or if therapy will make you feel worse rather than better.

It takes courage to seek support and so it makes sense that you'd want to know everything you can before deciding whether to take the next step. All neurodivergent folx are different, and neurodivergence itself covers a broad range of different conditions. However, in this article, I will attempt to cover some of the main overall benefits of therapy for neurodivergent adults. Hopefully, this will help you to decide if you're currently sitting on the fence.

The benefits of therapy for neurodivergent adults

Therapy can be beneficial for neurodivergent adults (such as those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurological differences) in many ways. The main benefits focus on helping you to better understand yourself, manage challenges, and develop skills that will support you to thrive in a world often designed for neurotypical people.

Here are some of the specific benefits of therapy for neurodivergent adults:

Navigating relationship difficulties

A common theme that I hear from neurodivergent clients that I work with is relationship difficulties. This could be romantic, familial or friendships. If this is something that you struggle with, you may be familiar with often feeling misunderstood, isolated and lacking a sense of community or people who 'get you'.

Maybe you've spent your whole life masking and trying to 'fit in'. Therapy can be a really useful way to understand both how you relate to others and how they relate to you. Your therapist can support you with things such as figuring out what you're looking for in relationships, discovering how to effectively communicate your needs to others and how to find 'your people' i.e. people who you feel comfortable enough with to unmask and be your true self.

Reducing masking and developing self-acceptance

If you're neurodivergent, you're likely familiar with masking; a strategy often used to 'fit in'. This is a common coping strategy and for many, can be the only way to feel safe in a world designed for neurotypicals.

Whilst masking may feel effective and necessary at times, ignoring your needs, preferences and more instinctive coping strategies e.g. stimming for long periods of time can have a really negative impact on your well-being. It can cause meltdowns or shutdowns, feelings of isolation/disconnection, a loss of a sense of self and exhaustion (to name a few).

Therapy can support you in finding ways to manage the impacts of masking and to develop a greater acceptance of yourself and your unique differences. From there, you can then feel more able to be your authentic self and advocate for what you need to make your day-to-day life feel more manageable.

Emotional regulation

Many neurodivergent adults can struggle with managing their emotions such as frustration, overwhelm, anger and anxiety. If you're familiar with these feelings, you'll know how debilitating they can be, often leading to overstimulation and burnout.

Therapy can help you to better understand yourself and where these emotions might come from so that you can begin to understand what your triggers and warning signs are. From there, your therapist can support you in developing tools and coping strategies to self-regulate.

Developing self-esteem

Many neurodivergent adults have faced years of feeling misunderstood or different from others, which can negatively impact their self-esteem. Therapy can help you to develop a more positive self-image, encouraging self-compassion and supporting you to identify your strengths and find ways to embrace your unique differences.

Support with anxiety and depression

Neurodivergent adults, particularly those with autism and ADHD, often experience co-occurring mental health difficulties such as anxiety and depression. Therapy provides a supportive and non-judgmental environment to help you understand these feelings better and find ways to navigate any challenges you may be facing.

Coping with sensory overload

Autism and sensory processing disorder may cause you to experience sensory difficulties. Therapy can help you to better understand and identify your sensory needs and support you to put things in place to prevent and reduce overstimulation and overwhelm. Your therapist can also support you to feel more confident in advocating for yourself, for example in work or education environments.

Final note

Whilst therapy isn't for everyone, it can provide neurodivergent adults with valuable tools to understand yourself better, manage your day-to-day challenges, improve relationships, and develop self-compassion. Whether it’s for emotional regulation, addressing sensory issues, enhancing executive functioning, or navigating social interactions, therapy offers individualised support for thriving in a neurotypical world.