Growing Together: A Collective Vision for a Neurodiversity-Affirming ACA Code of Ethics

Making history: Our proposal to introduce the first-ever neurotype protections to the ACA is officially in!

As practitioners, educators, and advocates dedicated to neurodiversity-affirming care, we have long recognized that our professional ethics should explicitly reflect and protect the lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals. Thanks to an incredible, collaborative effort from our community, on April 24th, 2026 we officially submitted our formal proposal to the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics Revision Committee!

This submission represents a major step forward in advocating for the integration of a Neurodiversity-Affirming Framework into the foundational guidelines of our profession. It is also a historic opportunity: currently, "neurotype" is not recognized as a protected identity in the ACA Code of Ethics—nor is it explicitly protected in any other major clinical therapy code of ethics. By introducing these standards, the ACA has the chance to make history as the very first major licensing body to codify protections for neurotype, setting a groundbreaking precedent for all other mental health professions to follow.

Why We Need a Neurodiversity-Affirming ACA Code of Ethics

Our proposal was drafted as a warm, collaborative, and appreciative invitation to the ACA, honoring their ongoing dedication to multiculturalism while gently pointing out where our standards can grow. The proposal advocates for updates that:

• Upholds Autonomy: Prioritizes the lived experience of neurodivergent individuals and protects them from interventions aimed at enforcing neurotypical social conformity.

• Advances Social Justice: Actively addresses the "neuronormative" biases and systemic barriers that have historically marginalized this community within mental health care.

• Codifies Competence: Establishes that affirming care is a core competency, requiring clinicians to move beyond outdated and ineffective deficit-based understandings of neurodivergence.

  
  

To make the committee's job as seamless as possible, we included an appendix with suggested language updates for the Ethics Preamble, clinical responsibility, nondiscrimination, and supervision guidelines.

A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Collective

This was truly a team effort. To everyone who read the drafts, offered feedback, signed their name, and shared this initiative across social media and professional networks—thank you. Your overwhelming support turned a passionate idea into a powerful, collective voice that the revision committee can see represents a vital, growing movement in modern psychotherapy.

Because so many of you stood behind this, we submitted a document that reflects the strength, professionalism, and heart of our community.

Read and Share the Submission

Even though the proposal is officially in, our advocacy doesn't stop here. We want this document to serve as an open, educational resource for clinicians, training programs, and practices looking to align their work with a neurodiversity-affirming ACA code of ethics.

• View the Final Document: You can read the full proposal and see the collective sign-ons here.

• Keep the Conversation Going: Share this post with colleagues, link to it on your practice websites, or discuss it in your clinical consultation groups.

• Keep the Momentum Going: If you are a professional counselor, keep talking about this! Do not let this momentum fade. Write about it, discuss it publicly, and if you have contacts or reach, send this initiative to news sources and industry publications to amplify our message.

• Advocate Across Other Professions: If you belong to another mental health or healthcare profession (like psychology, social work, or occupational therapy), use our submission as a template. Keep a close eye on your own licensing boards, and when your profession's code of ethics is up for revision, step up and advocate for the exact same changes!

Let’s keep working together to ensure the future of mental health care is truly affirming, compassionate, and effective for all people.

About Lila Low-Beinart 

Lila Low-Beinart (she/her) is a counselor and the founder of Divergent Paths Counseling. As a therapist specializing in supporting autistic, ADHDer, and gifted/2e individuals, Lila is deeply committed to systemic advocacy and shifting the mental health paradigm toward truly affirming practices.

Beyond her clinical practice, she provides professional CE trainings for mental health providers, consultations for therapists, and workshops for organizations. Rooted in both professional expertise and lived experience, her neurodiversity-affirming trainings offer a radical reframing of neurodivergent care, moving beyond traditional clinical labels towards a deep understanding of the diverse internal landscapes of neurodivergent people.