Madylynn Snyder, LMFT Conference Speaker
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Madylynn Snyder, LMFT       

 

Mady is licensed marriage and family therapist with a practice focused on supporting neurodivergent adults and mixed-neurotype couples. As a late-identified neurodivergent clinician, he brings both lived experience and clinical expertise to her work. She bridges the gap between theory and practice in a way that resonates with both clients and clinicians. She also consults with therapists and organizations on how to implement affirming approaches rooted in the neurodiversity paradigm. Her work draws on identity-affirming frameworks, relational-cultural theory, and collaborative care models. 

Clinicians who take her courses walk away with practical tools, case-based examples, and a deeper understanding of how to show up in ethical, supportive ways for neurodivergent clients. Her goal is to help therapists expand their capacity to offer care that honors the full humanity and autonomy of the people they serve.   

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The Neurodiversity Paradigm: Affirming Approaches to Working with Neurodivergent Individuals   

Saturday | May 2, 2026
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm 
(1.5 CEs)

 

Description:

The neurodiversity paradigm challenges long-standing clinical approaches that frame autism, ADHD, OCD, and other neurodevelopmental differences as disorders to be treated or corrected. This presentation invites mental health professionals to re-examine their biases, language, and practices through a neurodiversity-affirming lens. We will explore how to shift away from pathologizing frameworks and instead center identity, agency, and lived experience when working with neurodivergent clients. 

Designed for clinicians with an intermediate to advanced understanding of working with Neurodivergent individuals, this workshop will introduce practical strategies rooted in affirming care. We will discuss strengths-based formulations, sensory-informed accommodations, collaborative goal setting, and ways to reduce harm in commonly used modalities. Participants will leave with concrete tools for adapting their practice and deepening their understanding of how to support neurodivergent clients across the lifespan.

Whether you are working with late-identified autistic adults, PDAers, AuDHDers, or other neurodivergent individuals, this session will help you align your work with current research, ethical standards, and the lived experiences of the populations you serve.      

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:

  • Identify at least three key differences between the medical model and the neurodiversity paradigm in clinical practice. 
  • Describe at least two common harms neurodivergent clients experience in traditional therapy settings.  
  • Apply two neurodiversity-affirming strategies to adapt therapeutic goals or interventions for neurodivergent clients. 
  • Demonstrate increased capacity to recognize and reduce ableist assumptions in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning.
 

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