How neurodiverse couples make sense of their subjective experiences within couples therapy: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.

This article examines the experiences and needs of neurodiverse couples—defined as couples where partners have differing neurological profiles, typically one autistic and one neurotypical—in couples therapy. Through six semi-structured interviews analyzed via Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the study identifies key themes including a pervasive lack of autism-specific knowledge among therapists, the imposition of neurotypical norms that often pressure autistic partners to change, and differing emotional and communication styles between partners. Participants reported that therapy frequently overlooked neurological differences, leading to feelings of invalidation and inadequate support, while therapy was most beneficial when it fostered mutual understanding of these differences. The findings highlight the need for counseling psychologists to develop neurodiversity-informed approaches that respect diverse communication and emotional processing styles, moving beyond deficit-based models to better support neurodiverse couples.