Neurodiverse-Affirming vs. Therapeutic Environments: What’s the Difference?
At SMS, we celebrate the uniqueness of every child. Our classrooms are designed to be flexible, responsive, and inclusive, recognizing that each student learns and thrives in their own way. But there’s an important distinction between being neurodivergent-affirming and operating as a therapeutic environment. Understanding this difference helps us set realistic expectations and ensure that every child gets the support they need—whether within our program or through external specialists.
What Does It Mean to Be Neurodivergent-Affirming?
A neurodivergent-affirming environment acknowledges and values the diverse ways that children think, learn, and interact with the world. It’s about removing unnecessary barriers and creating an atmosphere where all students can participate in a way that feels authentic and empowering.
In our classrooms, this might look like:
Providing visual schedules and prompts to support transitions.
Offering movement breaks and sensory tools to help with regulation.
Encouraging alternative ways to communicate, like first/then boards or partner discussions.
Allowing flexibility in how children engage with learning, with programing including hands-on projects, discussion, independent and group exploration and more.
None of these strategies are about "fixing" a child. Instead, they make the learning environment more accessible, allowing students multiple options to engage.
So, What’s a Therapeutic Environment?
A therapeutic environment, on the other hand, is specifically designed to provide targeted interventions for children who need intensive support beyond what a flexible classroom can offer. These settings have specialists like occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, or behavioural therapists who provide structured, individualized interventions.
Therapeutic environments are necessary when a child requires:
One-on-one therapy to develop communication, motor, or self-regulation skills.
Highly structured behaviour plans that involve consistent intervention from trained professionals.
Specialized tools or interventions (e.g., augmentative communication devices, sensory integration therapy) that go beyond what a typical classroom can implement.
A level of support that extends beyond what’s manageable in a group setting, such as frequent crisis intervention or medical support.
At SMS, we recognize when a child needs more than we can offer, and we work closely with families to find the best next steps.
Why This Distinction Matters
It’s easy to assume that if a school is inclusive, it should be able to meet every need—but that’s not always the case. A truly inclusive school knows its strengths and its limits. We strive to be as flexible and responsive as possible, but we also have to consider:
Is the support we’re offering sustainable within a classroom setting?
Is the child able to meaningfully engage and make progress with the strategies we have available?
Are we maintaining a balance that ensures all students can thrive?
If a child needs therapeutic support that goes beyond what we can provide, that’s not a failure of inclusion—it’s about ensuring they get the right support in the right setting.
The Bottom Line
At SMS, we are neurodivergent-affirming—we meet kids where they are, and our programs are inherently flexible and support different ways of thinking and engaging. However, when a child requires specialized, one-on-one therapeutic intervention that we cannot provide within a classroom setting, we work with families to explore additional supports.
Inclusion isn’t about fitting every child into the same box. It’s about ensuring every child has the tools, space, and support they need to grow. Sometimes, that means staying with us, and sometimes, that means finding another place where your child can truly thrive.
