Why "Social Skills Training" Misses the Mark

If you've ever been told you need "better social skills," you're not alone.

For a long time, therapy focused on teaching neurodivergent people how to act more "neurotypical", how to make eye contact, how to make small talk, and how to fit in. These approaches often asked people to suppress who they naturally are in order to be accepted.

But here's the truth: you don't need to be fixed.

Communication is a Two-Way Street

When conversations feel hard, it's not always because you're doing something wrong. Often, it's because the world isn't built to understand different ways of connecting.

This idea is known as the Double Empathy Problem. It reminds us that misunderstandings happen between people with different communication styles, not because one person is broken, lacking, or failing.

At NeuroGrove Speech Therapy, we're not here to train you to "mask" or perform. We are here to support you as you are.

That means:

• Honoring and celebrating your natural communication style

• Supporting real, safe, and meaningful connections in a way that works for you

• Helping bridge understanding so communication becomes more mutual and supportive.

And because the world isn't always made for neurodivergent communication styles, we'll work on self-advocacy too. That means helping you:

• Understand your needs.

• Speak up for what supports you.

• Make space for yourself, even when the world isn't always set up for it.

You deserve communication that feels good, relationships that are built on real understanding, and a world that sees the value you bring.

The world needs you...just as you are. <3