Neuroaffirming Coaching: Supporting Neurodivergent Clients to Thrive - Joan van den Brink & Hannah Breslin

The workshop is designed to be neuroinclusive to meet the needs of both participants who are themselves neurodivergent and the needs of Hannah as a neurodivergent educator. This session is designed so you can participate in ways that best suit your needs. Slides are shared in advance, cameras are optional, chat participation is welcome throughout, and you’re encouraged to move, snack, rest, or step away as needed. There will be three short breaks in the session and a number of optional breakout rooms

This online workshop will run over 4 hours, including 3 x 15 min breaks for pacing and processing. The workshop is designed to be neuroinclusive to meet the needs of both participants who are themselves neurodivergent and the needs of Hannah as a neurodivergent educator. Promotional material will include full details of how the workshop will be run to help participants know what to expect.

At the start of the session, you’ll be encouraged to keep your camera on or off, depending on what works best for you. You’ll be able to use the chat if spoken communication feels challenging, or use the raise hand function if you’d like to come on mic and camera. Chat contributions will be read out as the session progresses, and you’ll be invited to share questions and reflections throughout. Breakout rooms will be used during the session, with the option to take part in individual reflection time instead if you prefer.

The workshop will begin with an icebreaker – a short visual-based exercise that doesn't require each individual to speak but establishes how different people's perspectives can be.

Joan and Hannah will then introduce themselves and share why they do this work together. Participants will be optionally invited to share their experience of coaching and interest in this topic.

The session will move into What is neurodiversity – an overview of basic terms and definitions, prevalence and relevance to coaching (i.e.: you are likely already coaching neurodivergent clients whether you/they know it). This will be followed by a small group/individual exercise to reflect on coaching experiences so far with neurodivergent clients.

The workshop will then explore three focus areas:

• Cultivating safety – with discussion on masking, prevalence of trauma and the importance of contracting to create psychological safety
• Goal-setting – with discussion on the need to be more directive and explicit around expectations, executive functioning differences, body doubling
• Motivation and intention – with discussion on common misinterpretations of neurodivergent behaviours, e.g.: lack of eye contact, lateness, processing time, interpretation of instructions etc.

Each focus area will include a short demo that shows neuroaffirming coaching practice supported by a lived experience story/example which explains why traditional approaches might be challenging.

There will be further small group/individual reflections, with prompt questions related to the three focus areas to support participants to identify potential practices to adapt moving forward.

The workshop will close with a wrap up and reflections, inviting participants to share key take aways, with Joan and Hannah summarising the main themes.

• Recognise neurodivergent presentations and needs in coaching contexts
• Apply neuroaffirming communication strategies that reduce masking and build psychological safety
• Adapt contracting and goal-setting practices to support neurodivergent differences
• Develop self-awareness around interpretations of clients' motivations and behaviours
• Identify concrete strategies that can be implemented immediately

Joan van den Brink of Araba Consulting specialises in leadership and talent development. With more than 25 years' experience, she has supported hundreds of leaders in organisations across the world to unlock potential in themselves and their teams through her consulting and coaching engagements. She is an executive and team coach, coach supervisor and coach trainer. She is passionate about creating inclusive environments so that people can be themselves and thrive. Joan is the author of two books, 'The Three Companions: Courage, Compassion & Wisdom' and 'Wired Differently, Understood Together'.

Hannah Breslin of Coaching+ of Difference is a multiply-neurodivergent coach, educator and consultant, with 15 years' experience working in Higher Education. She specialises in supporting late diagnosed/discovered neurodivergent professionals to better understand themselves and integrate their new self-awareness into their identity. Alongside this she teaches others how to develop their own neuroaffirming practices in relation to coaching, teaching, leadership and management. Hannah also consults on neurodiversity in the workplace, supporting clients to embrace the differences and strengths their neurodivergent employees embody.