Do you have a child that feels too much or nothing at all?

At The Emotions Lab, we know that people experience emotions in many different ways. For neurodivergent people, such as those with autism, ADHD, or sensory processing differences, emotions may feel especially strong, or sometimes hard to notice at all. That’s why we focus on body-based approaches, using a range of somatic practices that science shows can be especially helpful for neurodivergent brains.

Why Focus on the Body?

Traditional therapy often starts with thoughts, but for many neurodivergent people, emotions are felt first in the body. Some experience big feelings, like anxiety or overwhelm, while others struggle to process or even notice their emotions due to challenges with interoception (sensing internal bodily states). This means not all neurodivergent people have intense emotions; some may find it difficult to identify what they’re feeling at all.

Somatic practices, which start with the body, help people tune into their own physical signals, like breathing, heartbeat, or muscle tension, and use simple techniques to calm the body. This can make it much easier to manage emotions, especially when talking or thinking about feelings isn’t enough.

How Somatic Practices Help Neurodivergent People

Building Interoception: Somatic practises like gentle movement, mindful breathing, and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT, or “tapping”) help people notice and interpret body signals, which is key for emotional regulation.

Reducing Overwhelm: Somatic tools can have a cumulative effect and reduce the reactivity of the amygdala reducing the stress response, making it easier to cope with sensory overload or emotional storms.

Flexible and Accessible: These approaches can be adapted for different needs and comfort levels, supporting both those who feel emotions deeply and those who struggle to process them.

What Makes The Emotions Lab Different?

We use science-backed, body-focused tools to help reduce stress in the body, which in turn helps manage emotions. Our workshops and resources are practical, quick to learn, and suitable for all ages and abilities. By focusing on the body, we empower neurodivergent people to understand and manage their emotions in ways that feel natural and effective for them.

Takeaway:
Embracing neurodiversity and using somatic, body-based practices isn’t just a new trend, it’s a proven way to make emotion research and therapy more helpful for everyone, especially those whose brains and bodies work a little differently. At The Emotions Lab, we’re proud to lead the way in making emotional wellbeing more accessible, practical, and empowering for all.

Research That Backs This Up

These studies show why a body-based, neurodiversity-affirming approach including EFT and other somatic tools is both compassionate and grounded in the latest science.

Proprioceptive Processing and Emotion Regulation:

Eccles, J. A., et al. (2024). "A model linking emotional dysregulation in neurodivergent people to proprioceptive differences and hypermobility." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.

Emotion Regulation in Autism and ADHD:

Mazefsky, C. A., et al. (2013). "The Role of Emotion Regulation in Autism Spectrum Disorder." Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Shaw, P., et al. (2022). "Emotion dysregulation in ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions." Frontiers in Psychiatry.

Somatic and Sensory-Based Supports: Mahler, K. (2023). "Modern Emotion Regulation Supports for Neurodivergent Learners."

EFT and Stress Reduction:

Church, D., De Asis, M. A., & Brooks, A. J. (2012). "Brief group intervention using EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) for depression in college students: A randomized controlled trial." Depression Research and Treatment. Stapleton, P., et al. (2020). "Neural changes after Emotional Freedom Techniques treatment for chronic pain sufferers."

Individual Differences in Emotional Experience:

Austin, R. D., et al. (2022). "Conceptualizing neurodiversity as individual differences in self-regulation." Industrial and Organizational Psychology.