Sensory-Aware Counselling: Creating Neurodivergent-Friendly Therapy Spaces for Teens

Dr Jillian Stansfield

Relatively little research has been conducted into the therapeutic environment for neurodivergent people including adolescents. Traditional therapy rooms often prioritise aesthetics over accessibility, which can unintentionally create barriers to engaging in session. A few adjustments can provide a more conducive environment for neurodivergent clients such as adjusting lights or providing sensory or fidget tools (Castellon, 2020). These thoughtful modifications can have a huge impact on the broader therapeutic framework.

While sensory issues can be overwhelming and cause a higher level of anxiety particularly for a person diagnosed with autism (Szalavitz, 2016), small changes can make a big difference. For neurodivergent teens, sensory environments can be the difference between calm engagement and shutdown. Neurodivergent people have often stated they feel misunderstood and excluded (Turville, 2024), and therefore small, thoughtful changes by counsellors can help to create inclusive and safe spaces.

Neurodivergence describes people whose brains work in ways that differ from what society typically considers expected. These differences influence how an individual thinks, learns, processes information, and experiences the world (Stansfield, 2020). The term, coined by autistic self-advocates, has been joined by many with diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and developmental coordination disorder, among others (Chapman & Botha, 2023).

Jones (2024) highlights the greater incidence of mental health needs in neurodivergent clients. Neurodivergent individuals experience mental health difficulties at higher rates than the neurotypical population, with autistic people significantly more likely to experience anxiety and other mental health disorders (Adams and Liang, 2020; Stansfield, 2020).

Sensory processing refers to how neurodivergent individuals respond and interpret the environment around them (Critchley, 2019). Many neurodivergent people experience hypersensitivity to light, sound and textures, or they are sensory seeking and need movement or tactile input (Stansfield, 2020). When these sensory needs are not recognised, the therapeutic environment itself can become a source of stress before counselling even begins.

Stimming – a common trait of autism – is closely linked to sensory processing and is a self-regulation method that involves repetitive motor movements in response to sensory input or emotional states (Angulo- Jimenez & DeThorne, 2019). There are a number of ways for a person to stim; repetitive rocking, foot tapping and smaller movements are common (Stansfield, 2020). Such stims should not be seen as a negative trait, but rather a strength of a self-regulatory function (Kapp et al., 2019). Stimming has a calming effect and is not harmful to the person stimming or anyone around them.

A recent study conducted by Dr Mary Francis (2025) found that neurodivergent teens appreciated a focus on minimal external noise, privacy, controlled lighting, and limited distractions when it came to their learning space. This information can be transferred to the therapeutic environment enabling a more comfortable therapy setting. These simple adjustments align with the findings from the study by Jones et al (2025) who found that neurodivergent individuals responded better to therapy rooms with dim lighting, low level noise (no music), a cosy room rather than a clinical feel, and acknowledgment from the therapist to ask about environmental adjustments for example, “Is the room too warm?” The research participants responded that these simple adjustments would significantly improve their therapeutic experiences (Jones et al, 2025). Offering water, allowing headphones or sunglasses while talking, or permitting doodling may seem minor, but these small adjustment offerings signal to the neurodivergent individual, your comfort matters here.

Sensory tools – also known as fidgets or focus tools – is a popular choice for school students. From the fidget spinner craze, these gadgets are popular with many students, whether they are neurodivergent or not (Stansfield, 2020). For neurodivergent teens as well as adults, they can support focus learning and in the therapy space, helping them to feel at ease and better able to engage with the therapeutic process (Biel, 2017). The tactile input provided by these sensory tools allows teens to manage sensory input and attention challenges, by redirecting emotional and physical energy back into the object (Biel, 2017). Having a variety of sensory tools available in the therapy room gives teens choice over how they regulate their own sensory experiences. When used intentionally, sensory devices are no longer toys but tools that actively support engagement and self-regulation.

Therapy is not just about what is said, it’s also about where it happens, the sensory-friendly environment. Creating a sensory-aware counselling space is an act of inclusion that allows neurodivergent teens to focus less on coping with discomfort and more on engaging in the therapeutic process. These small, thoughtful adjustments dismantle barriers, affirm neurodivergent individuals’ needs as valid and represent good practice for an inclusive therapy space. Such therapy environments also support clients who may not yet identify as neurodivergent, ensuring therapy remains accessible and responsive to diverse sensory needs. Moving forward, the continued development of neurodivergent-affirming therapeutic practices is both appropriate and necessary as suggested by Chapman and Botha (2023). Their work emphasises neurodiversity as a natural human variation, rather than a deficit, and applying this perspective in counselling can enhance inclusivity, engagement and wellbeing for neurodivergent teens.

Author Biography

Dr Jillian Stansfield is a registered counsellor mainly working with teens through the challenges of adolescence. She is also the founder of Counselly, an online service platform dedicated to connecting clients with the right counsellors in a safe and accessible way.

With a background in research exploring the female presentation of autism and neurodiversity, Jillian brings a deep understanding of how unique neurotypes influence wellbeing and identity.

In her spare time, Jillian is the creator of the B Balanced app, a wellbeing tool designed to help people build sustainable, healthy habits that support mental and emotional balance. She is also putting her Cavoodle pup through intensive training to be a therapy dog, something she finds beneficial in creating a comforting and supportive environment.

Adams, N. and Liang, B. (2020). Trans and Autistic. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Angulo-Jiménez, H., & DeThorne, L. (2019). Narratives About Autism: An Analysis of YouTube Videos by Individuals Who Self-Identify as Autistic. American Journal of Speech-language pathology, 28(2), 569-590.
https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_AJSLP-18-0045

Biel, L. (2017). "Sensory Corner: Fidget Toys or Focus Tools?" The Autism File, Issue 62 (June/July 2017).

Castellon, S. (2020). The spectrum girls’ survival guide. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Chapman, R., & Botha, M. (2023). Neurodivergence-informed therapy. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 65(3), 310-317.
https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15384

Critchley, S. (2019). Supported teachers supporting girls. A whole-school model of support for the education of young people with autism. In B. Carpenter, F. Happé, & J. Egerton, (Eds), Girls and autism. Educational, family and personal perspectives (pp.164-170). Routledge.

Francis, M. (2025). Addressing Physical Space Needs of Neurodivergent Students. Research & Publications. 16.
https://scholar.dsu.edu/kmlpapers/16

Jones, S. (2024). The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Kapp, S.K., Steward, R., Crane, L., Elliott, D., Elphick, C., Pellicano, E., & Russell, G. (2019). People should be allowed to do what they like: Autistic adults views and experiences of stimming. Autism, 23(7), 1782-1792

Stansfield, J. (2020). Alannah, Bree and CASSIE: The ABC of girls on the Autism Spectrum in early years classrooms. Edith Cowan University.
Retrieved from https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2376

Szalavitz, M. (2016). Autism - it's Different in Girls. Scientific American Mind.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/autism-it-s-different-in-girls/

Turville, S. (2024), The experiences of neurodivergent participants in therapy, Masters Dissertation, Leeds Beckett University