# Nurturing Neurodivergent Children: Strengths-Based Strategies for Parents

## The group chat summary

Rachel Morris and Katie Haughton from [Behaviorish](/content/experts/behaviorish/index.html) led a thoughtful and empowering conversation on supporting neurodivergent children through a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming lens. Together, they explored how understanding behavior as communication can help caregivers create calmer, more supportive environments where kids can thrive.

### 🧠 Understanding Neurodivergence
• Neurodivergence reflects natural variations in how the brain works, not deficits  
• Autism, ADHD, anxiety, and learning differences often overlap and show up differently in each child  
• Labels do not define children, and no two neurodivergent experiences are the same

### 💬 Behavior as Communication
• Challenging behavior is a signal of unmet needs, not intentional misbehavior.