Spotlight on What Neuroaffirming Practice Really Means with Gráinne Warren, Play Therapist

Why it matters in therapy and beyond

Gráinne Warren is an Autistic, ADHD and PDA Play Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, Consultant and Trainer based in Ireland.

She supports neurodivergent children and families through deeply relational, neuroaffirming therapy, while also working with therapists to unlearn deficit-based models and embed affirming, identity-respecting practices into their work.

Gráinne creates resources, training, and reflective spaces that centre lived experience and prioritise authentic connection over performance or compliance.

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Gráinne writes…

This piece explores what neuroaffirming practice actually means – in therapy and beyond. As the term becomes more widely used, it’s essential to look beneath the language and examine whether the approaches we use truly honour neurodivergent ways of being. I’ll explore what affirming practice looks like in real life, the subtle harms of well-meaning but non-affirming work, the dangers of “neurodiversity-lite,” and why unlearning – both clinically and personally – is at the heart of meaningful support.