Foundations of Neurodivergent Affirming Practice

Breaking Free from Neurotypical Norms in Therapy with Kory Andreas

6 CE Hours (APA, NYS, ASWB)

Course Fee: $295.00

Early Bird Registration*: $225 with code EARLYBIRD

*early bird registration window between March 16th-May 3rd, 2026.

Launching May 4th, 2026

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Course Description


Many autistic and other neurodivergent adults, especially those who are high-masking or late-identified, are missed, misdiagnosed, or treated with interventions that unintentionally increase shame, dysregulation, and burnout.

This self-paced course equips therapists with a neurodivergent-affirming clinical framework to recognize masking-disrupted presentations, understand sensory and nervous system needs, and adapt common psychotherapy approaches to better fit autistic processing.

Participants will learn practical accommodations for in-person and telehealth sessions, strategies for supporting diagnostic grief (“grelief”), and autonomy-supportive approaches for clients with strong demand-sensitivity (PDA profile).

The course concludes with case-based application, burnout differentiation and recovery planning, and ethical considerations for collaborative care and self-identification.

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Course Modules

Module 1: Neurodivergent-affirming foundations for psychotherapy (45 min)

  • Neurodiversity-affirming stance: medical vs social model and systemic barriers

  • Language and common non-affirming missteps in therapy

  • Evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence in neurodivergent care

Module 2: Recognizing high-masking / late-identified autism (55 min)

  • High-masking patterns; masking-disrupted presentations

  • Gender/cultural considerations and common misdiagnosis patterns

  • Diagnostic grief (“grelief”) and therapeutic support

Module 3: Autistic bodies: sensory sensitivities & nervous system regulation (55 min)

  • Mapping sensory triggers and impacts on therapy process

  • In-session and telehealth accommodations; sensory-friendly environment checklist

  • Regulation strategies for hyper-/hypo-arousal and trauma-like responses to unpredictability

Module 4: Co-occurring conditions + adapting interventions (50 min)

  • Common overlaps: anxiety/OCD/trauma, RSD, interoception and eating-related concerns, substance use

  • Why traditional anxiety treatments (e.g., CBT) may misfit autistic processing

  • Adaptation strategies: pacing, framing, homework demands, communication preferences

Module 5 – PDA profile: autonomy-supportive clinical work (45 min)

  • Defining PDA-style demand sensitivity and common presentations

  • Why traditional behavioral approaches can escalate threat response

  • Collaborative, low-demand planning and autonomy-supportive language

Module 6 – Case Lab: application to clinical scenarios (45 min)

  • Case-based decision points: next-step choices and rationales

  • Integrating accommodations, grief-informed language, and adapted interventions

  • Documentation and treatment-planning considerations (non-diagnostic, affirming)

Module 7 – Autistic burnout + ethics + collaborative care (55 min)

  • Early signs of autistic burnout; differentiation from depression

  • Recovery planning and long-term prevention strategies (accommodations, scheduling, regulation)

  • Ethical considerations: self-identification, avoiding mislabeling/misinformation from social media

  • Redefining advocacy and interdisciplinary collaboration

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Meet the Instructor

Kory Andreas, LCSW-C, is a clinical psychotherapist and Autism specialist with extensive expertise in Neurodivergent-affirming care and education. With over 20 years of experience in therapy, supervision, and consulting, Kory is deeply committed to advancing affirming practices across therapeutic, educational, and workplace settings. She supports Neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ individuals through diagnostic work, direct care, and systemic change efforts. Sought-after speaker on modern Autism and Neurodivergent relationships, Kory is known for translating clinical insight into engaging, relatable instruction. She provides dynamic, accessible psychoeducational content and consultation that promotes empathy, inclusivity, and practical strategies for supporting Neurodivergence across diverse environments.

Koryandreas.com
IG: @neurokoryous

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • This course is designed for therapists and mental health professionals who want to deepen their understanding of neurodivergent-affirming care—especially when working with autistic and other neurodivergent adults, including high-masking and late-identified clients.

  • No. The course is appropriate for clinicians who are newer to this work as well as those looking to update their framework and align their clinical approach with neurodivergent-affirming best practices.

  • This course is self-paced and on-demand, so you can complete it on your own schedule.

  • You will learn how to recognize masking and late-identified presentations, understand sensory and nervous system needs, and adapt common psychotherapy approaches to better fit autistic processing. The course also covers practical accommodations for therapy sessions, diagnostic grief (“grelief”), demand-sensitivity (PDA profile), burnout differentiation and recovery planning, and ethical considerations.

    Please refer to the course modules above for details on each learning module.

  • The course supports improved clinical recognition and understanding of masking-disrupted presentations, but it is not intended to replace formal diagnostic training or assessment protocols.

  • Yes, you will have continued access to the course materials so you can revisit key concepts and tools as needed.

  • Yes, this course offers 6 continuing education credit hours from APA, NYS, and ASWB.