AutPlay
AutPlay Therapy is a neurodiversity informed and affirming approach to play therapy designed to help meet the mental health needs of neurodivergent children and their families.
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AutPlay® Therapy was created by Dr. Robert Jason Grant. It is a neurodiversity affirming framework for implementing play therapy.The AutPlay framework is designed to help child and play therapists address the mental health needs of neurodivergent children ages 3-18 (autistic children, those with ADHD, social anxiety, sensory differences, learning differences, and developmental and physical disabilities). AutPlay Therapy is a collaborative process designed to value the individual child and highlight their strengths as well as guide areas of intervention, goals, and approaches for addressing the needs of the child and family. It is created to assist both child and therapists in the implementation of play therapy for children and adolescents toward progress in addressing mental health needs. Parents and children are valued and understood as partners in the therapy process with the therapist.
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IS THIS APPROACH FOR ME?
What is neurodiversity affirming care?
Neurodiversity is the diversity that exists in neurotype among humans. It is understood as diversity recognition just as other forms of diversity (ethnic, gender, etc.) exist. Neurodivergent is
a term that refers to individuals that diverge from societal constructed concepts of what is “typical” and “normal” in terms of navigating a society’s systems. Neurodivergent identity would include (but is not limited to) Autistic, ADHD, sensory differences, learning differences, intellectual development disorder, etc. Neurodiversity affirming is the application of viewing Neurodivergent children through an affirming lens. At its most basic, it promotes value, self-worth, strengths, and positive identity as a Neurodivergent person. Affirming principles view neurodivergence as a difference not a deficit.
Regardless of need areas, accommodations, or issues the child may have, the child is always affirmed in their neurodivergence and never addressed as being a mistake, less than, not as
good as, or needing to be fixed or cured. Therapy is not accessed to make the child neurotypical. It is accessed to provide help for something that is a true need the child has such as dealing with depression, anxiety, poor self-worth, trauma, regulation struggles, social navigation, life adjustment challenges, etc.