Neurodiversity Therapy & Counselling for Adults, Teens, & Couples
Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy to Support Regulation, Identity, and Daily Life.
Therapy Designed to Match You
Neurodiversity is often misunderstood—especially in adults, women, and people who’ve spent years masking. At Thrive Downtown, our therapy & counselling in Vancouver supports individuals across the lifespan: adults navigating burnout, teens facing social overwhelm, and children with sensory and regulation challenges. Whether you’re late-diagnosed or just starting to explore your neurodivergence, we’re here to help you feel more at home in your nervous system.
Working With Who You Are, Not Against It
We integrate somatic therapy, DBT, identity work, and sensory awareness practices. Our goal isn’t to “normalize” you—it’s to support how your brain and body actually work. We focus on building self-trust, emotional safety, and tools that honour your inner world.
Some Things You'll Get Help With
- Sensory processing and overstimulation
- Masking, shutdowns, and burnout
- Emotional regulation and meltdowns
- Social anxiety and friendship challenges
- Low self-worth and internalized shame
- Navigating late diagnosis and identity shifts
Whether you experience neurodiversity as sensitivity, logical brilliance, or disconnection, we meet you with respect and curiosity.
Meet Rupert Arnett, RCC
Rupert is one of our core clinicians for neurodiversity counselling in Vancouver. Known for his warmth, precision, and lived experience, Rupert offers a rare kind of resonance for neurodivergent clients—especially those navigating late diagnosis, masking, or burnout.
If you’re looking for a therapist who truly gets the inner world—the sensory processing, the pattern-seeking, the moments of shutdown—Rupert brings both clinical skill and deep understanding. He supports teens and adults exploring what it means to live authentically in a neurotypical world.
Neurodivergent-Affirming Support
We don’t pathologize difference. Our therapy is strengths-based and identity-affirming. Many clients we work with are exploring intersections between autism, giftedness, trauma, ADHD, gender identity, and cultural background. We help you better understand your nervous system and develop systems that reduce sensory and emotional overload.
Neurodivergent Support for Parents & Partners
If you’re the parent of a neurodivergent child or the partner of someone with neurodivergence, therapy is an excellent way to support understanding, boundaries, and communication. We’ll provide the strategies, tools, and counselling to help you both lead a better life and improve your relationship.
Book a Free Consult Today
We offer in-person counselling in downtown Vancouver, as well as online sessions across BC. We’ll match you with a clinician who can truly help your particular situation.
Why Choose Thrive?
We’re not here to push surface-level strategies or symptom fixes. Our clinicians are trained in both neurodiversity and trauma—and many are neurodivergent themselves. That means we get it. From overstimulation in busy spaces to the loneliness of masking, our therapy rooms are built for relief, not performance.
You don’t need to explain why you hate fluorescent lights or why small talk makes your skin crawl. We’re fluent in your nervous system. And we’re here to help you build a life that doesn’t require constant masking to survive.
FAQ – Neurodivergent Counselling Vancouver
What does neurodivergent counselling involve?
We use talk therapy, body-based support, sensory tools, and identity work to support emotional regulation and self-understanding. Sessions are customized to you.
Is neurodivergent therapy only for people with a formal diagnosis?
Nope. Many of our clients are self-diagnosed or exploring whether neurodivergence fits. If you’re wondering whether you’re neurodivergent, therapy can be a great place to unpack it.
What makes your approach to neurodivergent counselling different?
We practice from a neurodiversity-affirming lens. That means we don’t try to change who you are—we support how you function and feel with strategies that align with how your brain works.
What if I’m unsure whether I’m neurodivergent?
You’re in the right place. Counselling can help clarify your experience, with no pressure for a formal label. We can also refer you to diagnostic providers if desired.
Do you support children with neurodivergence?
We support teens and adults. While we don’t offer therapy for young children, we can help teens and adults develop emotional regulation skills, process social struggles, and feel more grounded in their identity.
Do you offer neurodivergent counselling in person or online?
Both. We offer in-person neurodivergent therapy at our Vancouver clinic and virtual sessions across British Columbia.
Can neurodivergent therapy help with burnout or shutdowns?
Yes. Many of our clients come in feeling overwhelmed by sensory input, work demands, or masking fatigue. Therapy helps restore nervous system regulation and reduce burnout.
What kinds of therapy do you use for neurodivergent counselling?
We draw from somatic therapy, DBT, internal family systems (IFS), sensory regulation, and trauma-informed care—all tailored for neurodivergence.
What does neurodiversity-affirming therapy actually look like in session?
It means you won’t have to explain or defend how your brain works. We’ll move at your pace, work with your communication style, and focus on strategies that feel doable for your nervous system. Autism counselling Vancouver, ADHD support and neurodiversity affirmation belong to you. There’s no pressure to perform or mask — just space to be real.
What makes Thrive Downtown’s neurodivergent counselling different?
We specialize in neurodiversity-affirming therapy for adults and teens who’ve felt misunderstood in traditional mental health settings. Our approach provides emotional safety, attention to sensory needs, and identity exploration. Thrive counsellors will help you reconnect with your nervous system, build self-trust, and find strategies that actually work for your brain.
Can I get ADHD or neurodivergent therapy even if I’ve never been diagnosed?
Absolutely. Many adults seeking therapy haven’t been formally assessed—they just know something’s not clicking. Our therapists help you unpack patterns, build new rhythms, and reconnect with your brain’s natural pace. No diagnosis needed to get started.
