{"id":27143,"date":"2024-11-25T14:34:42","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T19:34:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/positiveexperience.org\/?p=27143"},"modified":"2025-09-22T00:29:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T04:29:06","slug":"supporting-neurodiversity-through-the-hope-framework","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/positiveexperience.org\/blog\/supporting-neurodiversity-through-the-hope-framework\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporting neurodiversity through the HOPE Framework"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Helping all neurotypes thrive through the Four Building Blocks of HOPE<\/h2>\n

As an advocate for neurodivergent people, Lana Jelenjev, co-founder of <\/span>Neurodiversity Foundation<\/span><\/a>, knows firsthand that a strengths-based approach is critical. She says that much of the trauma that comes with conditions like autism, bipolar disorder, dyslexia, and more, is rooted in the fact that the world is unable to see the strengths and resilience of those populations, and puts pressure on them to conform and fawn (people-please) to fit in different situations. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lana has a background in child development, gifted education and curriculum development, and uses her expertise to guide her in this question, \u201cHow can we create a society where all neurotypes can thrive?\u201d When she first discovered the HOPE framework, she realized that its principles could help her get closer to the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see HOPE as a framework that can easily be added into these conversations around creating a society where all neurotypes can thrive,\u201d she said, referring to the <\/span>Four Building Blocks of HOPE<\/span><\/a>. \u201cHow can we be in right relationships? How can we have deep connections? How can we provide a positive environment? How can we engage with each other, and how can we also learn about our emotions?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She was struck by just how much the language echoed the \u201csalutogenic\u201d as opposed to \u201cpathogenic\u201d approach that she believed in: or as the HOPE framework would call it, strengths versus deficit-based approach. She thought, \u201cThere’s a language here that [we] can use and integrate in the work we’re doing.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\n

Supporting neurodiversity in communities, workspaces, and in the home<\/h2>\n

The Neurodiversity Foundation has a three-pronged approach to its work: it has a client base of organizations that seek custom curriculum and trainings around neurodiversity; it engages in public advocacy; <\/span>and it creates spaces for community conversations. Since Lana became a trained HOPE facilitator<\/a> last year, she\u2019s been raising awareness primarily in the community conversations portion of her work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who join our activities can either be neurodivergent themselves or \u2026. allies within the neurodiversity movement \u2026 such as HR managers or leaders who would want to do things differently with their teams,\u201d including making HR policies that are more sensitive to neurodiversity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lana says a lot of her clients say, \u201cWe can definitely see [HOPE] as something that we can add in the work that we’re doing, but also see it more from our personal selves \u2026 How can we use this in our families or our immediate relationships?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She notes one particular client, a queer refugee group in the Netherlands, that asked her to join one of its community calls. This group had participants who had experienced challenges as queer people, as refugees, and as neurodivergent people. She invited the participants to look at their experiences through a HOPE lens.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\n

Creating safe, stable, and nurturing environment for neurodivergent people<\/h2>\n

\u201cWhat do you have in your life, in your environment \u2026 in your connections\u201d that is positive? She said it took them a while to process that invitation, but eventually, participants realized \u201c\u2018There’s more that I’m bringing in\u2019\u201d beyond just thinking about adversity.<\/span><\/p>\n

One Building Block of HOPE that Lana discusses in her presentations is creating a safe, stable and nurturing environment for neurodivergent people. One of her slides shows the roots of society\u2019s problems that lead to harmful environments: like racism, ableism, and sexism. And it also points out that external factors like climate change and pollution can exacerbate trauma. The HOPE framework reinforces the importance of supporting people to feel more safe in challenging environments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She also talks with her clients about the importance of healthy relationships as a way to either avoid or heal from ongoing trauma that neurodivergent people face. She talks about \u201cm<\/span>asking\u201d or \u201ccamouflaging,\u201d which are different terms to describe trying to keep neurodivergence hidden. She says the trauma comes from having \u201cexperienced so much in life that you’re told that you’re not normal, you’re weird … you’re not one of us.\u201d HOPE demonstrates that having even just <\/span>one or two supporting adults can be a game changer<\/span><\/a>. And instead of only looking back at painful memories, HOPE encourages people to remember the positive things that happened in their childhood.<\/span><\/p>\n

It helps people say, \u201c\u2018I remember my teacher who helped me with this,\u2019 or \u2018I remember I had a good friend\u2019 \u2026 I think it helps sort of jog [their] memory.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What does the HOPE framework look like in your work?<\/h2>\n

Do you have an amazing story to share on how you are using the HOPE framework in your work with children and families? Are you looking to start prompting positive childhood experiences? <\/span>Reach out to us<\/span><\/a>!\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lana Jelenjev uses her expertise, and help from the HOPE framework, to create a society where all neurotypes can thrive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":27145,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[323,266,179,265],"post_series":[],"class_list":["post-27143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-hope-facilitator","tag-hope-framework","tag-interview","tag-positive-childhood-experiences","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSupporting neurodiversity through the HOPE Framework | Tufts Hope<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Lana Jelenjev uses her expertise, and help from the HOPE framework, to create a society where all neurotypes can thrive.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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