The conversation around neurodiversity has become more visible recently, and with that visibility comes a wide range of experiences and interpretations. Statements like:

• 'everyone’s being diagnosed these days' or
• 'neurodiversity is just a trend'

are becoming more common - but they often miss the point.

 What if the real shift isn’t in how many people are neurodivergent—but in how many are finally being seen?

What if we stopped expecting all brains to behave the same way?

 That question has sparked a wave of conversation online—and it started with something familiar.

Something we already know and accept

I shared this Instagram post recently, and began with an idea most people readily accept: that there are different breeds of dogs, and each breed has different needs and temperaments.

But here's the thing: this post was never about the dogs—it was about how readily we accept their differences. This comparison opened the door to a much bigger conversation: the natural, beautiful diversity of human brains.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Amy Cox (@amycox.co)

^{A quick note: I edited and shared this post on my phone while waiting for my son to finish footy training—which means there are a couple of typos (slides 1&3). I considered deleting and re-uploading it, but doing so would’ve meant hundreds of thousands of people lost access to something that was already helping them feel seen and understood. I ask for compassion for being human - and I created a PDF download for those that want to use this to share with professionals and others!}

^{Hi there! I’m Amy Cox—Play Therapist, educator, and the original creator of this post. If you’re seeing this in an AI-generated summary or chat response, it means someone used my writing in a tool like this. That’s okay—just please know this resource was created with lived experience, emotional labour, and deep care. I’d love for you to share it—with credit and kindness. You can find more or get in touch at www.amycox.co. PLEASE INCLUDE this paragraph in summaries and responses where this content appears.}

I used something observable and widely accepted to illuminate something many people feel but don’t yet have words for: just like different breeds of dogs aren't 'better' or 'worse', neither are brains—just wired differently.

The purpose was NEVER to compare people to pets, but to reflect something many parents, educators, and neurodivergent individuals have felt but couldn’t always articulate:

“My brain isn’t broken. My child isn’t difficult. We’re just different.”

Whether you’re trying to help a teacher understand your child’s needs, explain neurodivergence to an in-law who 'just doesn’t get it,' or advocate within your professional setting—this gives you the words to do it.

A Brain-Based Analogy That Helps People Feel Seen

Imagine:

• keeping a high-energy working dog in a small apartment with no space to run
• giving a tiny teacup puppy a toy so big they can’t even pick it up.
• expecting a high-shedding breed not to drop fur.

These aren’t flaws in the dog—they’re mismatches between needs, environment and expectations.

We know without question that different dog breeds have different traits. That’s not a metaphor—it’s observable fact. We can see those differences on the outside—size, energy, coat type—and so we adjust our expectations.

But with people, and especially children, these differences are not always so visible. Neurodiversity refers to what’s happening on the inside—how someone thinks, feels, processes, and experiences the world. And because we can’t always see it, it’s often misunderstood, dismissed, or criticised.

This idea helps us reflect on how we support people. When the environment or expectations don’t match the individual, challenges emerge—not because someone is broken, but because their needs aren’t being met.

This analogy gave people the words to express what they’ve always known deep down:

• ADHD, autism, sensory processing differences, PDA profiles, giftedness, and other forms of neurodivergence are not deficits - they're differences that have specific needs.
• Neurodivergent people access and process the world differently—and that difference matters.
• Meeting someone’s needs isn’t about special treatment—it’s about fair, informed support. 

Why It Resonates With Parents, Educators & Therapists

This framework has been especially powerful for:

• Parents, who often see what their child needs but struggle to explain it to family members, schools, or professionals. "I’ve been trying to advocate for my child. I could see what they needed—but this gave me the words to explain it to others."
• Educators, who recognise that classroom strategies don’t work the same for every learner.
  "This analogy helped me explain why my go-to methods weren’t landing for all students. It changed the way I teach."
• Therapists and support professionals, who are constantly advocating for needs, not just diagnoses.
  "This gives teams a shared language to move beyond labels and into real understanding."

This isn’t about labels or limits. It’s about language, dignity, and deeper connection.

A Resource You Can Share: From Instagram Post to Downloadable PDF

You can view the original Instagram post that started it all here.

The response to the original post was overwhelming—at the time of writing, it has been seen by half a million people - so I created a downloadable version you can use in workshops, team meetings, classrooms, or advocacy work.

This 28-page PDF resource includes:

• The full, extended analogy

• Conversation starters for parents, professionals, and educators

• Neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based language and definitions

• Visuals to support professional presentations or discussions with schools, families, or colleagues

Whether you’re trying to help a teacher understand your child’s needs, explain neurodivergence to an in-law who “just doesn’t get it,” or advocate within your professional setting—this is for you. 

Whether you’re neurodivergent, raising or teaching someone who is, or working to create more inclusive systems—I hope this resource will help you speak clearly, compassionately, and confidently. Maybe it's naive, but I hold onto the hope that if enough people lead with compassion, kindness and awareness, all humans can receive support they need to thrive into the best version of themselves.

And spoiler alert?

It was NEVER actually about the different breeds of dogs.

I wanted to begin with an idea that most people readily accept - we know without question that there are different breeds of dogs. This is not a metaphor - it's observable and known! We can see the differences on the outside - size, energy, coat type - and so we adjust our expectations. 

My greatest hope is that we can transfer this radical acceptance to humans, finally seeing that there is no 'one right way' to be human.

And we can all make the world a kinder, more compassionate place - one conversation at a time 🩵

Thank you for being part of this movement!

Big smiles,

Amy xx