Embracing Neurodiversity in Person-Centred Counselling Practices
- cerrie lantrua
- Oct 29
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 31
As a person-centred counsellor, I believe we all have an inner capacity for growth, healing and self-understanding when we’re met with empathy, acceptance, and authenticity. For neurodivergent people, whose experiences and ways of thinking can differ from the norm, this approach can feel especially supportive. It offers a space where you’re not being analysed or told what to do, but gently understood as you are.
What Person-Centred Counselling Means to Me
In this approach, developed by Carl Rogers, you are seen as the expert on your own life. My role isn’t to give advice or interpret what you share, but to create a safe, accepting space where you can explore what feels important to you at your own pace.
Three values shape how I work:
Unconditional positive regard – you’re accepted without judgement or expectation.
Empathy – I’ll do my best to see things through your eyes and really understand your world.
Congruence – I’ll be genuine and real with you, meeting you as a person, not a professional mask.
In this space, you can come exactly as you are, with no need to filter, mask, or fit into anyone else’s idea of how you should be.
Why This Approach Can Feel So Supportive for Neurodivergent Clients
Neurodiversity is an umbrella term which encompasses many different ways of experiencing and processing life, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and others.
Sometimes traditional therapy models can feel too rigid or focused on talking in a certain way, which can leave people feeling misunderstood.
A person-centred approach adapts around you. It:
Respects difference instead of trying to change it.
Lets you express yourself in whatever way feels natural - through words, silence, or creativity.
Builds trust through empathy, patience, and real human connection.
Encourages self-acceptance and self-understanding, helping you feel more comfortable being you.
For example, if you need time to process before responding, prefer reduced eye contact, or communicate best through writing, all of that is welcome.
Creating a Safe and Accessible Space
Safety and comfort are at the heart of therapy. For neurodivergent clients, this can mean things like adjusting lighting, keeping sessions flexible, using clear and straightforward language, or allowing quiet moments without pressure.
We can explore together what helps you feel most at ease. The space is yours, and I’ll always work with you to make it as supportive and accessible as possible.
What This Looks Like in Practice
I’ve worked with clients who have found person-centred counselling to be a gentle, grounding space when the world has often felt too loud or fast.
For instance, someone with ADHD might come feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start. Together, we slow things down, and they begin to reconnect with their own strengths and sense of control.
Or a client with dyslexia might choose to draw, write key words, or use objects in the room to express what they feel, and that becomes their language in the therapy space. There’s no “right way” to be here.
Building Self-Acceptance and Confidence
So many neurodivergent people carry the weight of being misunderstood, criticised, or made to feel “too much” or “not enough.” In therapy, we can begin to challenge those messages and explore what it means to value your way of being in the world.
This process can help you:
Recognise and appreciate your strengths.
See your traits and sensitivities as part of what makes you unique.
Develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
Person-centred counselling isn’t about fixing who you are, it’s about helping you reconnect with who you’ve always been underneath the expectations and pressure to mask.
Every Person Is Different
While person-centred counselling can be deeply helpful, it isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Some people may benefit from more structure or from blending other therapeutic methods alongside it, and that’s okay.
What matters most is that you feel seen, supported, and understood in a way that feels right for you.
Finding the Right Fit
If you’re curious about working together, I offer an initial consultation so you can get a sense of how I work and whether it feels like a good fit for you. You’re welcome to ask questions about communication preferences, accessibility, or what you might need to feel comfortable.
The counselling relationship is a partnership, and it’s important that it feels as safe as possible right from the start.
Beyond the Counselling Room
The values of empathy, acceptance, and authenticity can reach far beyond therapy. When we listen without judgement, honour differences, and create space for each person to be themselves, we nurture belonging, in our relationships, families, and communities.
A Final Word
Person-centred counselling offers a gentle and respectful way of supporting neurodivergent people. It invites understanding instead of correction, and acceptance instead of expectation.
If you’re neurodivergent, or love someone who is, you deserve a space where you can explore, breathe, and simply be, without pressure to change.
Taking that first step towards support isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about being met, just as you are, and beginning to trust that who you are is already enough.
Comments