Somatic Approaches to Working with Neurodivergent Clients

Course Description:

Neurodiversity refers to variations in brain functioning, especially as it relates to thinking, processing, learning, attention, behavior, and nervous system regulation. In recent years, the terms neurodivergent and neurodivergence have commonly been used to refer to individuals diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); however, the descriptor, neurodivergence, can include a variety of individuals with brain differences including but not limited to certain medical disorders and learning disabilities.

Clinicians need to understand what neurodivergence is and how it impacts an individual’s brain functioning, social interactions, and behavior. Clinicians need to adapt their interactions and therapeutic approaches to match the needs of their neurodivergent clients. Somatic approaches to therapy are particularly well suited for use with neurodivergent individuals as they directly impact the brain and body by promoting a sense of safety and trust through nervous system regulation. Experiences commonly associated with neurodivergence (e.g., communication difficulties, anxiety, depression, sensory processing, trauma) can be gently supported in treatment with body-based techniques.

This course will introduce and define the concept of neurodiversity and the use of somatic approaches to therapy in treatment. Participants can expect to better understand what neurodiversity is and how it affects overall health and functioning, how to adjust therapeutic interactions to meet the needs of neurodiverse clients, and how to utilize somatic approaches in treatment. A discussion about why somatic approaches may be especially effective and applications of somatic techniques with neurodiverse clients will be included.

Learning Objectives:

Explain how your personal interaction style and office environment might need adjustments to meet the needs of neurodiverse clients
Explain how to build rapport with neurodiverse clients
Describe at least three somatic approaches to therapy
Explain why somatic approaches to therapy are well suited for neurodivergent clients
Explain how to introduce and use somatic approaches in therapy with neurodiverse clients
Speaker Bio: Dr. Brandon Guin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. He has a background working with neurodiverse individuals of all ages in a variety of settings. He has served as Clinical Director and Director of Behavioral Health in large behavioral health settings. He currently lives in Los Angeles, serves as the Director of Behavior Services for a private consulting company, and has a small private practice.

His eclectic approach to treatment is influenced by his clinical experience and cutting-edge research. He specializes in working with neurodivergent adults and individuals who have experienced trauma using a variety of cognitive, behavioral, and somatic techniques. He focuses on building strength in the following areas: improving executive functioning, prioritizing self-care, setting clear goals, taking specific actions toward those goals, and improving communication and social relationships.

Dr. Guin grew up in a small town in Northwest Louisiana. If you’re a fan of True Blood, think Bon Temps. Yes, he can make amazing Jambalaya. No, he does not have a Southern accent. Some of his favorite things are: his amazing 15-year-old dog named Annie, Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter Half Baked Ice Cream, all things cinnamon, Halloween, fried chicken, cooking, all things pumpkin-spiced, travel (Barcelona, Sitges, New York City, Hawaii, Miami), trees, the beach, the ocean, all things metaphysical, reading (especially nonfiction), astrology, and Disneyland.

Some of his favorite TV shows / movies are: Six Feet Under (HBO), True Blood (HBO), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Mean Girls, Hocus Pocus, Law and Order SVU, and Teen Witch.