A thoughtful exploration of neurodivergence, creativity, and the transformative power of seeing clients not as problems to solve, but as people whose worlds are worth entering. In this engaging and deeply insightful conversation, Janina Fisher sits down with drama therapist and neurodivergence specialist Liz McDonough to explore what becomes possible when therapists let go of assumptions and learn to follow the client’s lead. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience working with autistic and neurodivergent children, teens, and young adults, Liz shares how play, creativity, special interests, improvisation, and even puppets can become powerful pathways to connection, emotional expression, and healing. Together, Janina and Liz challenge traditional ideas about communication, emotional processing, and therapy itself. They discuss why many neurodivergent clients struggle in conventional talk therapy, how therapists can move beyond agendas and expectations, and why curiosity is often more important than expertise. Through stories of puppet characters, improv groups, video games, and beloved fictional worlds, Liz demonstrates how meaningful therapeutic work happens when clinicians enter the client’s world rather than asking the client to enter theirs. This conversation is a reminder that healing does not always begin with words. Sometimes it begins with a shared interest, a playful moment, or the willingness to see communication in forms we might otherwise overlook. Key Takeaways: Meet clients where they areSpecial interests are therapeutic resourcesCommunication is bigger than wordsPlay creates safetyWhat looks like resistance may be communicationGrowth happens through co-creation, not correctionCuriosity is more valuable than certainty www.lizmft.com Liz McDonough, LMFT, is a therapist, drama therapist, educator, consultant, and speaker specializing in supporting neurodivergent individuals and the professionals who work with them. Drawing on a unique background that bridges a theatrical career in New York with more than two decades as a licensed marriage and family therapist, Liz is known for her creative, strengths-based approach to helping neurodivergent people thrive in school, the workplace, and their communities. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Liz combines lived experience with clinical expertise, bringing warmth, humor, and practical insight to her teaching and consulting. She has presented nationally at conferences including the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium and the AAMFT Systemic Therapy Conference, and works with educators, therapists, and organizations to create more accessible, inclusive, and joyful environments. Liz holds a B.A. in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She has taught at the graduate level, supervised associate therapists toward licensure, and provides neurodiversity consultation internationally. Liz lives in Durham, North Carolina, where she's often singing, hiking, or dreaming up her next creative idea—sometimes all at once.
