What are Attuned Coaching's values?

Attuned Coaching values lived experience. We believe that research, clinical practice, and modalities need to be informed by those who have experienced the diagnosis being researched or treated. Unless you have lived through the ins and outs of that life, it may be difficult to understand the internal experience of those folk.

Our work is underpinned by neuroaffirming practices, weight-inclusive frameworks, anti-victim blaming, feminism and trauma-informed and responsive care.

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Neuroaffirming Practice

We believe in a strengths and human rights-based approach to neurodivergent people. When we say neurodivergent people, we mean any human identifying with the social term. Neurodiversity is a framework that moves away from a pathology paradigm to viewing neurodivergent people as a natural form of diversity.

Neurodivergent, sometimes abreviated as ND, means having a mind that functions in ways which diverge significantly from the dominant societal standards of 'normal'. - Nick Walker

Our founder is autistic and an ADHDer. Many of our resources are targeted at these neurotypes, based on their lived experience.

We see autism and ADHD as an identity, not a disorder

Seeing autism and ADHD as an identity instead of a disorder shifts the perspective from viewing it as a medical problem that needs to be fixed to recognising it as a natural variation in human experience. We see autism and ADHD as disabilities and acknowledge adversity still exists within these neurodivergencies. Our approach emphasises:

1. Acceptance and Understanding: Autism and ADHD are seen as a part of who someone is, rather than something wrong with them. This fosters acceptance and a deeper understanding of neurodiversity while acknowledging challenges still exist for autistic and ADHDers in a world that was not designed for these neurotypes.

2. Strengths and Abilities: By viewing autism and ADHD as an identity, the focus shifts to the unique strengths, talents, and perspectives that autistic individuals bring to the world, rather than just their challenges.

3. Self-Advocacy and Empowerment: This perspective empowers autistic and ADHD individuals to advocate for their rights and needs, promoting self-acceptance and pride in their identity.

4. Reducing Stigma: Viewing autism and ADHD as a natural part of human diversity helps reduce the stigma and negative stereotypes often associated with them, promoting a more inclusive society.

5. Holistic Support: Supports are designed to enhance their quality of life and accommodate the individual's needs and preferences, rather than trying to make them conform to neuronormative standards.

   
   

Overall, seeing autism and ADHD as an identity embraces the idea of neurodiversity, celebrating differences and advocating for a world where all identities are valued and respected.

For more info, check out the below authors:

• Nick Walker - https://neuroqueer.com

• Sonny Jane Wise - https://www.livedexperienceeducator.com

• Disability Justice Framework - https://sinsinvalid.org/about-sins/

• Autistic Self Advocacy Network - https://autisticadvocacy.org/

Trauma-informed and responsive frameworks

At Attuned Coaching, we view complex trauma or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) not as a disorder or deficit, but as a natural survival response. Our nervous system reacts to complex trauma in ways that are meant to protect us. Unlike Autism, however, complex trauma or CPTSD can be healed and prevented.

Our commitment to the safety and well-being of children and trauma survivors is at the heart of our advocacy. We achieve this by adhering to the following core principles:

1. Avoiding Re-traumatisation: Our resources are informed by an understanding of the deep impact of trauma and are carefully crafted to not expose trauma survivors to re-traumatisation.

2. Creating a Felt Sense of Safety: We prioritise safety in all its dimensions, centring our work on creating a felt sense of safety for trauma survivors.

3. Polyvagal-Informed Practice: Grounded in the Polyvagal Theory by Dr Stephen Porges, we understand the importance of moving through the nervous system’s hierarchy to support emotional and physiological regulation. We facilitate this through creating resources that help individuals transition from dysregulation to a more regulated state.

4. Trauma-responsive Care: We adopt a proactive approach that incorporates practices developed in collaboration with trauma survivors. This approach emphasises safety, equity, validation, and collaborative care without hierarchical structures.

   
   

For more info, look into the following organisations & research:

• Polyvagal Institute - https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org

• Polyvagal Theory research - https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/authored

• The Blue Knot Foundation - https://blueknot.org.au/

Weight-inclusive framework

A weight-inclusive framework emphasises respecting and supporting people of all body sizes without prioritising weight loss or adhering to societal ideals of thinness. These frameworks challenge weight stigma and promote health and well-being for everyone, regardless of size. Here are key aspects and principles of weight-inclusive approaches:

1. Body Respect and Acceptance

   • Recognise and respect body diversity as a natural and normal part of human variation.

   • Avoid judgment or assumptions about a person’s health, character, or habits based on their size or weight.

2. Health at Every Size® (HAES®)

   • A well-known weight-inclusive approach that focuses on:

     • Weight Neutrality: Weight is not viewed as a primary measure of health.

     • Eating for Well-being: Encourage intuitive eating practices if accessible, honouring hunger, fullness, and satisfaction (please note not all neurodivergent folk can eat intuitively).

     • Respectful Care: Address weight bias in healthcare and other systems.

     • Joyful Movement: Promote physical activity that feels good and is accessible, rather than focusing on calorie burning.

3. Anti-Diet Culture

   • Rejects diet culture, which equates thinness with health, morality, and worth.

   • Focuses on unlearning restrictive or harmful beliefs about food and weight.

4. Weight Stigma Awareness

   • Advocates for addressing and dismantling weight bias in healthcare, workplaces, media, and society.

   • Educates about the psychological, physical, and social harms of weight discrimination.

5. Focus on Holistic Health

   • Emphasises a person-centred approach to health that considers mental, emotional, social, and physical aspects.

6. Systemic Barriers

   • Societal and institutional weight bias remains pervasive.

   • Systemic barriers related to weight stigma are deeply embedded in societal structures, policies, and cultural norms, making it challenging for individuals in larger bodies to access equitable treatment and opportunities.

For more info, look into the following advocates and organisations:

• Dr Joshua Wolrich - https://drwolrich.com

• Intuitive Eating - https://www.intuitiveeating.org

• Size-Inclusive Health Australia - https://www.sizeinclusivehealth.org.au

• Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia - https://www.edneuroaus.com/

Feminist framework

A feminist framework is a conceptual approach rooted in feminist theory, aiming to analyse, critique, and transform societal structures, norms, and power dynamics that perpetuate gender inequality. It emphasises intersectionality, recognising that experiences of oppression and privilege are shaped not only by gender but also by race, class, sexuality, disability, and other social identities. This approach includes:

1. Equality and Justice: Focuses on dismantling systems of patriarchy and ensuring equal opportunities, rights, and freedoms for all genders.

2. Intersectionality: A term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, it acknowledges how overlapping social identities contribute to unique experiences of oppression or privilege.

3. Critique of Power Structures: Examines how societal institutions (e.g., government, media, education) reinforce gendered power dynamics.

4. Agency and Empowerment: Advocates for individuals, especially marginalised genders, to have control over their lives and decisions.

5. Challenging Norms: Questions traditional roles, stereotypes, and assumptions about gender and relationships.

6. Anti-violence: The commitment to addressing, preventing, and dismantling all forms of violence—particularly gender-based violence—that uphold systems of oppression, including patriarchy, racism, ableism, and colonialism. Feminist anti-violence work is rooted in the belief that violence is both a cause and a consequence of systemic inequality, and it seeks to create a world where everyone can live free from harm.

For more info, click the links below:

• Kimberlé Crenshaw - https://www.aapf.org/sayhername pod.link/1441348908

• Bell Hooks - Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center book

• Andrea Smith - https://www.amazon.com.au/Conquest-Sexual-Violence-American-Genocide-ebook/

• Judith Butler - https://www.booktopia.com.au/gender-trouble-judith-butler/book/

Anti-Victim Blaming Framework

This framework challenges societal attitudes that perpetuate the blaming of victims, especially in cases of sexual violence, abuse, and coercion. Rooted in Dr Jessica Taylor's work on trauma, abuse and victim advocacy.

Key Principles of the Anti-Victim Blaming Framework

1. Accountability Lies with the Perpetrator: The framework emphasises that responsibility for harm always rests with the perpetrator, not the victim. Victim blaming shifts the focus away from the actions of the abuser and unfairly scrutinises the victim's behaviour, choices, or circumstances.

2. Rejecting the "Perfect Victim" Narrative: Dr. Taylor critiques societal expectations of how a "real" or "perfect" victim should behave. These stereotypes often include being passive, visibly distressed, or conforming to specific gendered or cultural norms, which can invalidate the experiences of many survivors.

3. Trauma-Informed Understanding: Victims often make choices under coercive control, fear, or trauma responses (like freezing, fawning, or compliance). Judging these behaviours without understanding trauma perpetuates harmful myths and overlooks the complexity of survival mechanisms.

4. Empowerment and Autonomy for Survivors: Central to this approach is respecting and validating the autonomy of survivors. Victims are often stripped of agency during their trauma, and anti-victim blaming work involves empowering them to reclaim it without judgment.

5. Structural and Cultural Critique: Victim blaming is not just an individual bias; it is perpetuated by societal structures, including media, legal systems, and cultural norms. Dr. Taylor advocates for systemic change to address these broader issues.

6. Language Matters: The framework challenges the use of language that implies complicity, consent, or mutual responsibility in abusive situations. For instance, phrases like "Why didn’t they leave?" or "What were they wearing?" reinforce victim blaming.

7. Focus on the Real Questions: Instead of asking what the victim did or didn't do, the focus shifts to understanding the perpetrator's behaviour, the power dynamics involved, and the systems that enable abuse.

   
   

   For more info on Dr Jessica Taylor, click the following link - https://www.drjessicataylor.com/

   Victim Focus - https://www.victimfocus.com/