Your Neurodiverse Story
In Two Acts
Your Neurodiverse Story is a system for explaining an individual’s unique profile and a toolkit for making plans and decisions to set your family up for success.
Your neurodiverse story is comprised of three characters and written in two acts.
Who are the Characters?
Aptitude
Includes any diagnosis available
Formal Cognitive profile (if you have had an evaluation)
Informal or anecdotal information about your cognitive abilities (if you have not had an evaluation)
Interests
What do you love to do?
What are you most excited to know more about?
How do you love to spend your time?
What do you learn about, just for fun?
Personality
Are you introverted? Extroverted?
Do you like routine? Do you prefer surprises?
What makes you tick?
Do you seek out collaboration?
Do you prefer to work alone?
What are the Acts?
Resonance
Your characters are harmonious.
Dissonance
Your characters are discordant.
Resonance occurs when you are engaged with something that interests you, suits your personality, and you have an aptitude for it. Near resonance occurs when you are engaged with something that engages two of the three characters.
Dissonance, on the other hand, happens when you are engaged with something you do not have an aptitude for, you are not interested in, and it does not suit your personality. Near dissonance occurs when you are doing something that disengages two of the three characters.
So what? How does this help me or my child?
Understanding your multifaceted neurodiverse profile allows you to take ownership of your story. Parents’ deep understanding of their child’s YNS allows them to support their child by giving them a pathway forward and illustrating their child’s needs more concretely.
When neurodiverse individuals know their story, they can take ownership of it. Or, as Brene Brown says, “when we own our stories, we get to write a brave new ending.”