Your Safer Space Can Still Exist: Neurodivergent Care in Challenging Times

Let’s be honest, things feel pretty scary right now if you’re neurodivergent. Between talk of “autism registries” and legislation that seems designed to make life harder for our community, many of you are understandably worried about what seeking therapy might mean for your safety and privacy. We get it, and we want to talk openly about how we’re handling this at Greenpoint Psychotherapy.

Our Commitment Remains Unchanged

Look, we’re not going anywhere, and neither are our values. We still believe that your neurodivergent brain is not broken, it’s a neutral part of human diversity. Your ADHD hyperfocus, your autistic attention to detail, your brilliant pattern recognition, these aren’t “problems” that need “fixing.” Everything comes with challenges, and that’s where we come in: to help you navigate a world that wasn’t built for minds like yours.

We know some of you might be thinking twice about starting therapy or worried about continuing care. Those feelings make complete sense. Your safety matters to us more than anything else.

How We Handle Documentation

Working with insurance means following certain rules about what gets documented and how. Here’s what you should know about how we approach this:
We Talk Before We Document: If neurodivergence is going to be included in your records, we discuss it with you first. We explain what it means and make sure you’re comfortable with the decision. Except for OCD (which sometimes needs different handling), neurodivergent conditions aren’t used as primary diagnoses, which means your insurance claims will not include these diagnoses. Before we document anything, we practice informed consent.

Existing Records Stay As-Is: We don’t alter or delete records that have already been submitted. Changing submitted documentation can trigger insurance audits, causing us to have to provide insurance companies with your chart. We try to avoid these.

What This Actually Looks Like in Your Sessions

All this behind-the-scenes stuff doesn’t change what happens when you’re actually in therapy with us. You’re still going to get sessions where:

• We actually get what it’s like to have a neurodivergent brain (many of our therapists are neurodivergent, too!)
• You can talk about your experiences without feeling like you’re being pathologized, or not believed
• We work on stuff that actually matters to you, not try to train you to function neurotypically
• We help you deal with anxiety, depression, trauma, etc., in ways that make sense for how your brain works
• You can work with you to better understand who you are without judgment
• We help you advocate for yourself in a world that doesn’t always welcome your voice

Whether you’re a parent trying to support your neurodivergent kid, a masked adult who just figured out why life has felt so hard, or someone working through all the complicated feelings that come with being different in a world that values conformity, we’re here for all of it.

We’re Not Going Anywhere

We know things feel really uncertain right now. Being neurodivergent already means dealing with a world that wasn’t designed for you, and now there’s this extra layer of political stress on top of everything else. It sucks, and we’re not going to pretend it doesn’t.

But here’s what we can promise: we’re staying informed about what’s happening, we’re adapting our practices to keep you as safe as possible, and we’re not backing down from providing the kind of care our community needs.

If you have questions about how any of this affects your specific situation, please just ask. We want you to feel informed and comfortable with your care.

You don’t need to be on anyone’s registry. You are not a burden. You do not need to be molded, shaped, or erased. You are valid. You are human, and, just like all humans, need support, understanding, and someone in your corner who gets it. That’s what we’re here for.

We’re Taking Care of Ourselves Too

We want to acknowledge that these uncertain times affect our team as well. We’re making sure we’re supporting each other, staying educated about what’s happening legally, and continuing to learn how to provide the best possible neurodivergent-affirming care. We’re also doing our part to advocate for our community whenever we can.

If you’ve been thinking about therapy but feeling hesitant because of everything going on, we get it. But please know that our community is strongest when we support each other, and good therapy can be a really important part of that support.