Mind Matters

David Smith spent years working as a therapist specializing in neurodiversity-affirming care, but it wasn't until age 56, prompted by his wife and his own clients, that he sought his own autism diagnosis. That confirmation fundamentally shifted his clinical approach from that of a white-coated expert to a fellow traveler, deepening the way he accompanies families through unmapped territory. Today, Emily and David discuss the delicate balance between professional curiosity and humility, and why traditional therapeutic models often fail to support the fragile nervous systems of neurodivergent clients. They talk about the nuances of demand avoidance, specifically the high-masking, internalized presentation that often looks like perfectionism, and why "connection before correction" is a neurological necessity, not just a catchy phrase. TAKEAWAYS Effective therapy for neurodivergent clients often requires shifting away from the traditional expert hierarchy. The neurodivergent brain is a "complicated, custom-ma