What is Neuro-Inclusion?
Neuro-Inclusion is the practice of creating inclusive and safe spaces for people of all brain types. Neuro-Inclusion is inclusion for everyone with a brain.
Neuro-Inclusion and Neuro-Equity are not just concepts but foundations of a fair and just society. They represent a collective hope for a world where people of all NeuroTypes are treated equitably and respectfully.
Neuro-Inclusion, the practice of creating inclusive and safe spaces for people of all brain types, is a powerful concept. It signifies that everyone is valued and included in our society regardless of their neurological makeup. This is inclusion and accessibility not just for NeuroDivergent People but for everyone with a brain.
Understanding NeuroDiversity, the diversity of human brains and nervous systems, is a crucial step towards becoming Neuro-Inclusive (as not understanding these differences often leads to unintentional harm to Neuro-Minority members). This knowledge of NeuroDiversity and Neuro-Inclusion empowers us to create environments that cater to the unique needs of all people.
Welcome back to another Founding Member Post!
Twice each month I will put out an exclusive post like this one (often on a more intimate and personal topic, book sneak peeks, OR featuring some of the training materials I’m teaching) that will be brought to you by and for our Founding Members.
When I am scheduling this post, we have thirty-seven Founding Members!
I won’t put them on the spot today, but you know who you are. I can’t thank you enough for your support.
Inflexible Systems Aren’t Inclusive
The thing that broke me (leading to my burnout and eventual Autism and Social Phobia diagnosis a few months before my 30th birthday) was being unable to get my needs met, combined with unfair expectations while working for an employer in a workplace that was not Neuro-Inclusive.
This employer had particular (and inflexible) ways of doing things. If a method "didn't work" for an individual team member, it often didn't matter (because everyone was expected to "follow the process") without exception.
Additionally, this employer had many expectations I'd never encountered in any other workplace. These included expectations regarding my body language, posture, facial expressions, and communication (which posed unique challenges for me as an unidentified Autistic Person).
Mandatory Fun isn't Fun
One expectation I struggled with greatly was that I should become close friends with my colleagues and that I spend my free time at unpaid after-hours work-related networking events and happy hours (which were supposed to be fun and not mandatory, but then I'd get in trouble for "not taking advantage of them" often enough).
Work social events were outside my job description, so I saw them as optional.
I was supposed to "use my best judgment" on how many of these "non-mandatory" events I should attend, and I attended them rarely. However, eventually, the fact that I failed to participate in "enough" of these "optional" events started coming up in almost every performance review I had with my new manager. Then, after my best judgment failed me, I was assigned a "minimum number" of work social events each month.
They Didn't Care What I Was Diagnosed With
Upon receiving my diagnosis as Autistic with a Social Phobia, I had hoped it would lead to better understanding and support. Unfortunately, the manager I reported to seemed to believe my differences were something I could overcome via sheer willpower alone, a belief that only added to my turmoil.
My Autistic Traits
My first attempts at workplace disclosures and requesting adaptations were unsuccessful, and my pleas were denied.
Upon revealing to my employer that I was (and always have been) Autistic, my Autistic traits were met with disbelief, assumptions, and minimization (instead of compassion, curiosity, and understanding) when I asked if it was possible to "have advanced notice whenever possible" as a communication accommodation, that would help the way I struggle with surprises and change.
"Wow, you must be high-functioning!" my boss exclaimed. "You've been doing well so far. I don't think it makes sense to change things now since you never needed accommodations before."
My Sensory Processing Differences
Even my sensory processing differences, which I thought would receive more understanding due to the obvious way they'd impacted my physical health, were also denied. This denial of my needs only added to my sense of injustice and neglect.
