The original conceptions of occupation were not developed with neurodivergent and disabled individuals, requiring a paradigm shift for how we support neurodivergent occupational participation. There are no current frameworks of occupation prioritizing authentic, neurodivergent well-being, resulting in the first neurodiversity-focused occupational therapy model.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

This manuscript is the culmination of my post-professional occupational therapy doctoral research, and entwines my love for disability justice, neurodiversity-affirming literature, and advocacy. This manuscript was a partnership with neurodivergent practitioners, advocates, and scholars from around the world, and I am thrilled to share it with you.

Oftentimes we hear of neurodiversity being identified as a “spectrum” or an “umbrella”; for me as a multiply Neurodivergent person, those categorizations have never felt like they were close to representing the beautiful and vivid complexity of neurodiversity. For me, each neurodivergence felt like its own universe of experiences…

This is my most recently udpated “go-to” presentation for groups and conferences. The learning objectives are: (1) recognize occupational injustice and ableism that proliferates occupational therapy practice; (2) apply neurodiversity-affirming principles and (3) aspects of the EMPOWER model to practice, and; reflect on current practices and modify approaches to ensure they align with best practices as identified by Neurodivergent individuals.

This is the research poster I use to feature at conferences featuring the research of the EMPOWER Model, and it’s yours to download if you find it useful!

When an intervention is determined to be effective, who is the intervention actually effective for? Is it effective for the neurodivergent individual based on their hopes, dreams, and input, or is it deemed effective by the non-Disabled researcher or practitioner based on what they assume to be important for the Disabled individual? What are the outcomes listed within the article, and who exactly is defining those outcomes? As shown in the illustration, the issues with most EBP approaches extend beyond the research component and permeate the other two critical elements: clinical expertise and the client’s circumstances and values...