Navigating Neurodivergence on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology: Experiences of Neurodivergent Trainee Clinical Psychologists

Rationale and Aims: In the clinical psychology profession, despite a key focus on understanding neurodivergence and working towards neuro-affirmative clinical practice, there remains a paucity of research exploring the experiences of its own neurodivergent professionals. A Systematic Literature Review further highlighted this gap through a synthesis and appraisal of existing literature about the experiences of neurodivergent students in healthcare professions training. This research therefore aimed to explore and give voice to the experiences of neurodivergent Trainee Clinical Psychologists completing Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) programmes in the United Kingdom (UK), and to develop recommendations to improve support. Method: A qualitative online questionnaire was completed by 70 neurodivergent Trainee Clinical Psychologists across 17 DClinPsy programmes in the UK. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, and the research was conducted from a critical realist epistemological stance. Results: Four themes with accompanying sub-themes were constructed: ‘This System’s Not Built for Us’, ‘The Ever-Present Burnout’, ‘Do I Fit/Belong Here?’, and ‘Reclaiming Identity, Belonging and Hope’. Together, these themes highlight the complex experiences of neurodivergent trainees across personal, relational and systemic domains – marked by structural barriers and systemic ableism, heightened emotional and cognitive strain, and ongoing negotiations of identity, belonging, and connection. Implications: This research has implications for programme design, relational practice, and the wider professional culture and structures of clinical psychology. It calls for a shift from reactive individualised adjustments to proactive systemic change that meaningfully includes and improves the experiences of neurodivergent Trainee Clinical Psychologists. Recommendations for future research are also discussed.