The workshop series introduces neuroscience concepts as grounding techniques, ways of thinking about brain function that allow us to step back, stay curious, and understand our children’s experiences.

We discuss the neurodiversity paradigm, a framework that recognizes neurological differences, like autism and ADHD, as natural variations of human brain function. Neurodivergence is not a quality specific to individual brains—it arises from the interaction between people and the expectations in our environments. Yet, unless we understand how the brain works, we tend to expect others’ brains to function just as our own does. By applying the neurodiversity paradigm, we’re free to see behaviors as communicating or meeting needs, rather than as symptoms.

Sensory processing is an essential part of what makes each brain work the way it does. The “worlds” we create are not the same as the worlds inhabited by others. What does neuroscience tell us about the processing of visual and auditory information and how does this help us understand the thoughts and behaviors of our children and ourselves? This workshop delves into the neuroscience of sensory processing through the lens of the Biocultural Model. We examine how cultural assumptions shape our perception of our children's sensory experiences.