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Synopsis
Traditional talk-based therapies can often feel inaccessible, overwhelming, or ineffective for many AuDHD folk—especially children and teens. Factors such as a strong preference for predictability and sameness, difficulty with transitions, emotional intensity, executive functioning differences, sensory sensitivities, and protective reliance on familiar routines or ideas can create significant barriers to engagement. Focussed thinking styles that favour structure, or repetition may also conflict with open-ended verbal therapy approaches. In contrast, neuroaffirming non-traditional therapeutic models that embrace interest-based, movement-rich, and visually supported interventions like LEGO®-based therapy can offer greater accessibility and foster genuine therapeutic connection.
This hands-on workshop (yes you get to play with Lego) explores how these non-traditional, evidence-informed modalities better meet the needs of AuDHD folk. Drawing from lived experience, current clinical practice, and emerging research, we highlight the use of LEGO®-based therapy and SPINS (Special Interests) as tools for building safety, engagement, and communication. These approaches are grounded in trauma-informed, play-based, attachment-informed, and truly and actually neuroaffirming frameworks. Integrating SPINS into therapy significantly improves engagement, emotional regulation, and participation.
Learning outcomes
- How to use non-traditional therapeutic approaches in therapy – in this workshop we won’t just be telling you, we will be showing you. All participants will get hands on experience in using these non-traditional therapeutic approaches. We will be having lots of fun with Lego!
- The reason why non-traditional therapeutic approaches work well with AuDHD’ers.
- How to adapt these non-traditional therapeutic approaches to whatever age group you are working with.
- How to have fun while being effective and engaging in the therapy room.
