Writing
Dismantling Dominant Disability Discourse: Exploring liberatory language for
neurodivergent experience
By Dana Kabaila | ORCID
2026 Issue 2: International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community
Work
Narrative therapy offers powerful approaches for honouring neurodivergent insider knowledge to resist thin, pathologising conclusions. To explore and extend these approaches, I interviewed loved ones as neurodivergent co-researchers using narrative principles to re-dignify their living experience. These interviews led to therapeutic letters, peer outsider witnessing and engagement with a therapist listening group. I used the terms “neuro-wild” to explore freedoms, “neuro-wild cultivators” for re-membering supporters, “neuro-taming” for survival skills and “neuro-rewilding” for reclaiming preferred ways of thinking, being, knowing and doing. I hope this paper offers new possibilities to neurodivergent folk seeking support and to neurodivergent providers, authors and researchers.
Key words: neurodivergent, co-research, therapeutic letter, outsider witness, therapist listening group, narrative therapy, narrative practice
Kabaila, D. (2026). Dismantling dominant disability discourse: Exploring liberatory language for neurodivergent experience. International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (2), 15–25. https://doi.org/10.4320/ZJJL1915
How the Seasons Affect Us, by Rasa and Dana Kabaila,
Ausmed
2025 – holistic health reflections and information about barometric pressure
changes, humidity levels, light exposure, electromagnetic changes and
temperature fluctuations.