Frequently Asked Questions

  • The collective is an intentional community of neurodivergent helper professionals in the Cincinnati area. We recognize that it takes a lot to provide the services we do, and many of us also operate our own businesses. The collective seeks to reduce the impact of these burdens by offering neurodivergent helpers a means by which to share in community, resources, support, and engagement opportunities.

  • Many of us have experienced psychological harm within the workforce, often directly related to our neurodivergences. Others feel alienated in the beige gray-scapes common amongst professional organizations.

  • Our hope is that we can weave community. Our initial thoughts for benefits of joining the collective are (the following list can change and we are open to suggestions about what the community needs!):

    • Group photography/headshot/”client” session photos

    • Our website landing page that links to your website

    • Shared social media posts & other marketing

    • Community for each other - low demand in-person activities

    • Blog posts for each other (to increase SEO on our websites) 

    • Consistent times for body doubling with the opportunity to receive feedback on what you’re working on

    • Retreats

    • Meeting others who you might want to collaborate with

  • While some of our members may practice out of shared spaces, there is no designated office space for our collective. Participants share in the resources and support offered virtually and in person, while working from the comfort and familiarity of their own office spaces.

  • We’re not trying to make money off of anyone’s membership. And, we live under capitalism and services cost money. We imagine that the cost for membership would be to cover website maintenance costs. Any other activity you participate in (shared marketing or photo shoots, low demand activities, etc.) will be paid for as needed/utilized. 

  • You do not have to be included in anything you do not want to be included in. If we develop a referral list, you will be in charge of how your information is or is not shared. We will not share anything about you without your consent. And, you can change your mind at any time!

    • Nope! If you feel drawn to this group, we’d love for you to check us out. We welcome business owners and providers in the mental health field and beyond who may themselves identify as neurodivergent and who provide support for neurodivergent people. This can include–but is not limited to–counselors, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, coaches, artists, tax professionals, house cleaners, and more.

  • Our hope is that this will be a safe space for all marginalized populations, including LGBTQIA+ (or GSRM, or SOGIESC if you prefer), BIPOC (or racialized if you prefer), and of course, neurodivergent individuals. This is a large, diverse population to serve! We know we won’t get it right all the time, every time, but we wish to try because we care. This is important to us. To do this, we acknowledge the following:

    • We can speak only of our own experiences, from our own identities.

    • We commit to growth in understanding others, by listening to multiple voices from communities that are not our own.

    • We strive for cultural humility: that is, recognizing that this work is ongoing and ever-evolving. There is no “competence” in this area, yet neither are we to desist from the practice.

    • We hold ourselves accountable by reflecting when our behaviors and actions are called in.

    • We commit to taking care in tending the space we seek to hold: This includes maintaining boundaries in terms of the values brought into the space. This is not the space for non-affirming care, which may include pathologizing identity, conversion methods, enforced masking (as in some ABA approaches), persisting with outdated terminology, and imposing normative goals.

  • Those are great and multi-faceted questions! Professional opinions and positions may differ; we take a broad-minded view of neurodivergence. The term “neurodivergence” refers to the understanding that not all human brains work the same way. We see this show up in a variety of ways, including learning styles and challenges, communication methods, emotional processing, sensory processing, and more. Most commonly, neurodivergence is used as a blanket term to refer to people who present with certain traits in such a way that they have been given (or might choose for themselves) the currently used labels** such as Autism, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Giftedness, and others. 

    **A note on these labels: Many of these terms are defined by the DSM, and use the word “disorder” to describe something that is not necessarily disordered at all, but a natural human presentation. Often, the “disordered” element is merely the perspective of others or the lack of adequate environmental supports. Furthermore, the labels often reflect what is noticed by (or even “inconvenient” to) others, rather than the lived experience of the individual themselves. ADHD is a prime example of this; for many with ADHD, it is not that they possess a lack of attention, but rather a unique experience with the regulation and switching of attention. Similarly, while Gifted individuals may excel in certain areas with the right supports, they may struggle greatly in others, particularly when not adequately supported. More attention needs to be given to thoughtfully and accurately labeling these experiences, if indeed a label is necessary.

    For those interested in using the most affirming language that we, the weavers of this collective, are presently aware of, we invite you to refer to this list. Language is ever-evolving, and there may come a time that these terms may become outdated or even viewed as problematic themselves. We hold space for this balance between attention and flexibility.

    The following list has been adapted from Neurodivergent Somatics in Therapy by Nyck Walsh:

    • Autism or Autistic, instead of Autism Spectrum Disorder

    • Kinetic Cognitive Style (KCS) or Variable Attention Stimulus Trait (VAST), instead of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

  • Not necessarily! Recognizing the nuance of diagnosis and self-identification, we welcome anyone who resonates with aspects of the neurodivergent experience. To keep this as safe a space as is within our power, we acknowledge that there may be times when it may be necessary to “call in” a behavior that is causing harm, or has a tangible potential to do so. We promise to be as affirming in this action as we know how, and ask that participants meet these invitations with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to hear.