These difficulties may present in children (and adults) as hyperactivity, autism, hypervigilance, anxiety, depression, intense emotions such as anger and rage, emotional meltdowns, sensory overwhelm, sensitivity to noise, demand avoidance, relational difficulties with peers and authority figures eg teachers and parents.

These difficulties make the parenting task particularly challenging and emotionally exhausting especially if parents themselves are also neurodivergent. In some cases children and young people become worried about their parents and carers and may take a caring role creating emotional co-dependency. This may further impact of young people’s ability to pursue independence and their own life goals.

The key for making things better in neurodivergent families is to create a calm environment, reduce stress and offer emotional co-regulation of the nervous system eg adults to develop self-regulation skills so that they can regulate their children’s emotions and teach them to do the same.

Family therapy can be useful as it can offer a specific focus on improving family relationships and developing an understanding of therapeutic parenting and the ability to reduce the level of stress and the confidence to respond therapeutically to emotionally demanding situations.

In my experience doing therapy outdoors can offer a less intimidating and a more regulating environment where the focus is less on talking and more on walking, making art, becoming explorers of the natural world. This helps children and adults to feel calmer, more grounded, relaxed, emotionally regulated and more comfortable in engaging in conversations.

Ecotherapy can be as effective as other forms of therapy if offered by a clinically trained therapist who can maximise their therapeutic skills with the healing power of nature.