Not Broken, Just Different: A Neuropsychologist’s Take on Neuroaffirming Care

It’s a question I hear more and more often—and I’m so glad people are asking.
“Do you offer neuroaffirming care?”
The short answer? Yes, I do.

But what does that actually mean?
Let’s start with this: every brain is different.
That’s not just a slogan. It’s neuroscience.
It’s lived experience. It’s also the foundation of my work as a neuropsychologist and a brain health advocate.

Some people move through the world with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, giftedness, anxiety, or the effects of brain injury, narcolepsy, trauma, or cancer, for example—and sometimes, with more than one of these at once.
Some think in pictures, others in words.
Some thrive in chaotic environments; others need calm and predictability.

Some take off like rockets with the right spark, while others need scaffolding and support to reach their full potential.

The Traditional Model: What’s “Wrong”?

Historically, neuropsychological evaluation has often focused on what’s not working—zeroing in on deficits, labels, and problems to be “fixed.”
While there’s real value in identifying barriers, I’ve never seen brains that way.
Because the goal isn’t to fix the person. It’s to understand the person.

What looks like “underperformance” or “noncompliance” in one setting may actually be a misfit between the brain and the environment.
What looks like defiance may be a mask for the struggle to keep up.
And what gets labeled a weakness can sometimes be a strength in disguise—or a skill waiting to be unlocked with the right tools, support, or environment.

A Reframe: Strengths, Strategy, and Support

To me, being neuroaffirming means doing what I’ve always done:
Looking for patterns of strength and difference—not pathology.
Helping clients and families understand how their brain works, not just whether it works.

Identifying what gets in the way—and then building better bridges.
Recognizing that “success” doesn’t mean being indistinguishable from peers; it means thriving as your authentic self.
Sometimes that means developing new skills or executive functioning strategies.

Sometimes it’s about reframing expectations, accessing interventions or accommodations, or finding square holes for square pegs.
And sometimes, it’s simply about validating that the world wasn’t built with your brain in mind—and helping you navigate it anyway.

Culture, Context, and Compassion

I want to be clear: the pain is real.
Struggling to focus, feeling out of sync, being misunderstood—these aren’t just abstract ideas.
They can be isolating, exhausting, and deeply frustrating.

And in many communities, there are added layers of stigma, cultural pressure, and expectations that make it even harder to ask for help or be seen fully.
Neuroaffirming care doesn’t dismiss that pain.
It honors it—and pairs it with curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to uncovering what’s possible.

Neuropsychology, Reimagined

So yes, I offer neuroaffirming care—though I define it through the lens of brain health, strengths, and reducing barriers to optimal functioning.
While the language is gaining traction, this perspective has always shaped my work.
To me, neuropsychology at its best is:

A tool for clarity and empowerment.
A process that highlights what’s going right, not just what’s going wrong.
A commitment to helping people understand and work with their brains—not against them.

Grounded in science and evidence-based care—with an openness to what’s emerging.
A lens that considers context, culture, and lived experience.
This isn’t a pivot for me. It’s how I’ve always practiced.

If you’ve read my earlier posts on respect and inclusion or my approach to strengths-based evaluation, you know that affirming diversity of all kinds—cognitive, cultural, developmental, or otherwise—isn’t just a value I name.
It’s woven into how I listen, evaluate, and recommend next steps.

Different Brains, Shared Dignity

Neuroaffirming care isn’t about offering special treatment.
It’s about offering appropriate, respectful, personalized care to everyone—including those whose brains process, learn, or engage with the world in ways that may not align with typical expectations.

In my work, that means helping people better understand their unique brain, identify what’s getting in the way, and develop tools or strategies to move forward.
Because ultimately, brain health is about understanding how an individual’s brain functions—and finding ways to support that functioning in daily life, so they can thrive in ways that are meaningful to them.