Mental Health Panel 1: Sensory Differences in Neurodivergent Individuals: A Strength-Based, Neurodiversity-Affirming Lens
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Sensory Differences in Neurodivergent Individuals: A Strength-Based, Neurodiversity-Affirming Lens
Moderator: Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD
Objectives:
- Articulate the basic components of the sensory systems
- Describe the lived experience of having sensory differences in neurodivergent people (e.g., late diagnosis, high masking)
- Justify the neural basis of sensory differences in neurodivergent individuals
- Describe the approaches to be taken to address sensory differences in the mental health setting (e.g., instructing self-efficacy related to sensory differences)
- Relate the connections between sensory differences and mental health challenges (e.g., camouflaging of sensory differences and anxiety)
Give practical sensory support strategies for neurodivergent individuals and beyond
Daniel Abrams, PhD, Clinical Associate Professor, Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Abrams is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, where he studies the neural foundations of social communication in children on the autism spectrum. His research explores how differences in sensory and social attention shape the way autistic children engage with the world around them. By using a combination of psychophysical, cognitive, and brain imaging methods, his work aims to better understand the diverse ways autistic children experience and process social information. The goal is to support more inclusive models of development and communication that reflect the strengths and needs of neurodivergent individuals.
Laura Petix, The OT Butterfly, LLC, CEO, Founder
Laura Petix is a licensed, Filipino-American pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of The OT Butterfly, a platform where she educates families about sensory processing and its impact on children’s learning and behavior. She combines her lived experience as a late-identified neurodivergent woman and the mother of a neurodivergent child with her clinical and professional experience as a sensory based OT. She is the author of A Kids Book About Neurodiversity, which helps children celebrate different brain types and understand the importance of inclusion. Laura is also a sought-after keynote speaker and consultant for various organizations and businesses, where her warm and confident approach helps foster inclusive environments for neurodivergent individuals.
Megan Anna Neff, PsyD, Clinical Psychologist / Founder of Neurodivergent Insights, Neurodivergent Insights
Megan Anna Neff (she/they) is a neurodivergent psychologist, writer, and founder of Neurodivergent Insights, where she creates resources that blend research, clinical wisdom, and lived experience. After discovering she was Autistic and ADHD at age 37, Megan Anna became deeply curious about how late-identified neurodivergence reshapes not just self-understanding, but relationships, systems, and well-being. She’s the author of Self-Care for Autistic People and The Autistic Burnout Workbook, and co-hosts Divergent Conversations, a podcast that explores the nuance of neurodivergent life. Her work has been featured in Psychology Today, CNN, PBS, and The Los Angeles Times, and is known for making complex ideas accessible and emotionally resonant. Drawing from both her clinical training and her own lived experience in a cross-neurotype family, Megan Anna is passionate about expanding the conversation around neurodivergence beyond stereotypes — toward something more honest, human, and hopeful.