Strengths-based. Identity-affirming. Grounded in who your child is.
Neurodivergent children, including autistic children and those with differences in sensory processing, attention, communication, and emotional regulation, experience the world in unique and meaningful ways.
Neurodivergent affirming occupational therapy supports children in building skills for everyday life without trying to change who they are. Instead, therapy focuses on understanding your child’s sensory needs, communication style, strengths, and challenges so they can participate more comfortably and confidently in daily routines, relationships, and play.
At Little Buddies Pediatric Therapy, we provide occupational therapy for autism and neurodivergent children at our Burnaby and Richmond clinics, supporting families across Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Our approach is strengths-based, respectful, and centred on helping children feel understood, supported, and successful in their own way.
What Does Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Actually Mean?
Neurodivergent affirming therapy starts from a simple but important premise: that neurological differences are part of human diversity, and that every child’s brain is worth understanding on its own terms.
In practice, this shapes everything about how we work. Rather than measuring your child against a neurotypical standard, we start by understanding who they are, how they experience sensory input, how they communicate, what regulates them, what lights them up, and we build from there.
This means:
- Therapy goals are built around your child’s priorities and your family’s, not a standardized checklist
- We adapt environments and strategies to suit your child, not the other way around
- We respect your child’s communication style, sensory boundaries, and autonomy throughout
- Families are partners in the process, not observers
We also take a trauma-informed approach, recognizing that some children and families have had experiences with services that didn’t feel safe or supportive. We take that history seriously, and we always work to build trust at your child’s pace.
What Does Neurodivergent Affirming Occupational Therapy Support?
Our occupational therapists support neurodivergent children across a wide range of areas that impact daily life, participation, and wellbeing.
Sensory processing and regulation
Sounds, textures, movement, light, or internal body signals may feel overwhelming, distracting, or sometimes not noticeable enough. We help children understand their sensory needs and build strategies that improve comfort throughout the day.
Emotional regulation and nervous system support
Big emotions, shutdowns, overwhelm, or difficulty shifting between states are common experiences. We help children recognize their internal cues and build regulation strategies that feel safe and predictable, never forced or compliance-based.
Daily participation and independence
Dressing, eating, transitions, hygiene, and school routines can feel exhausting or overwhelming. We build supportive routines and environmental adaptations that help children participate in daily life with more ease and autonomy.
Motor skills and coordination
Some children experience differences in motor planning, coordination, handwriting, or body awareness. We support these skills in a way that’s respectful and functional, focused on participation rather than perfection.
Social connection and play
Social interaction looks different for every neurodivergent child. We support connection in ways that respect communication style, comfort level, and boundaries — through parallel play, shared interests, or structured social understanding.
Is Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Right for My Child?
Our neurodivergent affirming OT is appropriate for children with a wide range of neurological profiles, including:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- ADHD and attention differences
- Sensory processing disorder
- Dyspraxia / developmental coordination disorder (DCD)
- Pathological demand avoidance (PDA)
- Tourette syndrome
- Global developmental delay
- Children with sensory, regulatory, or participation challenges who do not yet have a diagnosis
You do not need a formal diagnosis to access OT. If your child is experiencing challenges with sensory processing, emotional regulation, daily routines, or participation, we’re happy to talk through whether an assessment would be a helpful next step.
What to Expect
Neurodivergent affirming occupational therapy at Little Buddies begins with a comprehensive assessment that looks at your child’s sensory processing, emotional regulation, motor skills, daily routines, communication style, and participation across home, school, and community settings.
From there, our occupational therapist will:
- Design sessions based on your child’s strengths and interests
- Support sensory regulation in ways that feel safe and individualized
- Build emotional regulation strategies that are predictable and practical
- Adapt daily routines and environments to support participation
- Collaborate with families on strategies that work at home and school
- Work alongside other professionals when helpful to support consistence
We understand that progress looks different for every child. Our focus is on meaningful participation, comfort, and confidence over time.
Funding Options for Neurodivergent Therapy
Depending on your child’s profile and funding eligibility, occupational therapy at Little Buddies may be covered through:
- BC Autism Funding (for children with an ASD diagnosis)
- The At Home Program (for children with complex needs)
- Extended health benefits through your employer plan
- MCFD Community-Based Services (in some circumstances)
Funding options vary by family, and eligibility criteria can change. We’re happy to talk through what may be available to you when you get in touch.
What Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Looks Like at Little Buddies
We understand that progress looks different for every child. Our focus is on meaningful participation, comfort, and confidence over time.
Little Buddies is led by Keith, our director and lead occupational therapist, who brings over 25 years of clinical experience to every family we work with. Keith trained at New York University, began his clinical career at Babies and Children’s Hospital of New York City, and holds advanced certifications in Sensory Integration (SIPT Certified), Neuro-Developmental Treatment, DIR Floortime® (one of only a small number of certified DIR Floortime® Training Instructors in Canada), and Multiple Therapeutic Learning Systems. This depth of expertise shapes the entire culture of Little Buddies.
What that means for your family:
Every therapist at Little Buddies is trained in a consistent, affirming approach. Your child’s individual sensory profile, communication style, strengths, and goals guide every session, regardless of which therapist they’re seeing.
We integrate neurodivergent therapy with other approaches when appropriate. For children who would benefit from DIR Floortime®, sensory integration therapy, or speech-language pathology, our team works collaboratively across disciplines, either within Little Buddies or alongside your child’s existing supports.
Families are full partners. We share strategies, explain our clinical reasoning, and ensure you feel confident and informed at every stage of the process.
Chelsey creates a fun and safe environment for Logan and knows how to switch things up if he's having a challenging day. From being a little boy who would rather be off on his own to now participating in groups, making people laugh and teaching his friends how to hip hop dance!
Chelsey is a huge advocate for Logan. She's helped with school assessments, meetings with teachers and reports to help others understand his needs. Chelsey is a huge advocate for my son and has his back 100%. She's not just our son's OT; we consider her part of our family!"
He is like a big brother to my child A. He can play silly with him but also teaches him appropriate skills. He is observant and can visualize A's behaviour and the reasons behind it. As a parent, I see myself get lost and discouraged often when I see my child's weaknesses and the challenges he has to overcome. Sam is someone I can trust and fall back on. With his recommendations, I can gather myself and continue the long journey again.
FAQs About Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy & OT for Autism
Neurodivergent affirming therapy is an approach that supports autistic and neurodivergent children by building on their strengths, understanding their sensory and regulatory needs, and helping them participate in daily life in ways that feel manageable and meaningful. It is explicitly not focused on making children appear or behave more neurotypical. Instead, the goal is to reduce barriers, build capacity, and support wellbeing in a way that respects who the child is. At Little Buddies, this approach is delivered through occupational therapy and speech-language pathology.
Neurodivergent therapy, sometimes called ND-affirming therapy, differs from traditional approaches in its starting premise. Traditional OT has historically focused on reducing or eliminating behaviours considered atypical. Neurodivergent therapy takes a different position: that these behaviours often serve a function, make sense given the child’s neurological profile, and should be understood rather than suppressed. We adapt our strategies and environments to suit the child, rather than expecting the child to conform to external standards.
Yes. Occupational therapy for autism is one of the most widely used and well-supported interventions available, particularly for sensory processing, emotional regulation, daily living skills, motor development, and participation at home and school. At Little Buddies, occupational therapy for autism is always delivered within a neurodivergent affirming framework, meaning the goal is never to change who your child is, but to support them in navigating daily life with greater ease and confidence.
No. While a formal diagnosis can be helpful for planning and funding purposes, it is not required to access neurodivergent therapy or occupational therapy at Little Buddies. If your child is experiencing challenges with sensory processing, regulation, daily routines, or participation, please reach out and we’ll help you figure out the right next step.
In many cases, yes. Children with an ASD diagnosis may be eligible for BC Autism Funding, which can be used for occupational therapy for autism services. The At Home Program may also cover OT for children with complex needs. Extended health benefits through employer plans often cover OT as well. Eligibility and coverage amounts vary, so we encourage you to contact us to discuss your specific situation.
This is something we hear from families regularly, and we take it seriously. Many neurodivergent children have been through experiences that felt overwhelming, unsafe, or simply unhelpful. When we work with children who carry that history, we go slowly. Building trust comes before any therapeutic goal, and your child’s comfort and sense of safety are never compromised in favour of progress on paper. We’ll work closely with you to understand your child’s history and make sure this experience feels different.
You’re welcome to reach out regardless of whether your child has a formal diagnosis. Many children who are twice-exceptional, have sensory processing differences, have PDA profiles, or are still going through the assessment process benefit from OT.
Yes. When it’s helpful, we collaborate with school teams, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, and other community supporters. Supporting your child consistently across the environments where they spend their time, home, school, and community, is an important part of how we approach care at Little Buddies.
DIR Floortime® and sensory integration therapy are both integrated into how our team works at Little Buddies. Many neurodivergent children benefit from a combination of approaches, and our therapists draw on whichever frameworks best suit a child’s profile. You can read more about our DIR Floortime® approach and sensory integration therapy on their respective pages.