Why do we seek out diagnosis? It’s simple yet profound - to understand the individual we are working with, and more specifically, their brain type. As clinicians, we deeply understand the importance of diagnosis in assisting with understanding the ins and outs of how an individual's brain works. We understand the stigma that surrounds diagnosis and the stick-on label that it can often be misperceived as - however we truly value the individual beyond their diagnosis. What does this mean? We aim to understand how your brain works and ask “What does this (diagnosis) actually mean for you? how does this impact how you show up in the world?” Ultimately the diagnosis is what guides us to ask these questions, and then to be able to really see and recognise an individual for who they are and make sense of the “why” behind certain behaviours, thoughts, or feelings.
What do we mean by brain type? Essentially, an individual's brain type can be thought of as the way they process information and perceive the world around them. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ brain type, i.e. no right or wrong way to process information. Everyone has unique ways in which they attend to information. However, having an understanding as to how you process and attend to information is crucial to aid in the development of overall learning and functioning. For example, one brain might respond best to visual information, whilst another brain may respond best to verbal prompting. One brain may overthink things a little more, another brain may have difficulty reading social cues, some brains can understand the cause and effect of behaviour, and others may have difficulty understanding what comes next. Some brains lean towards seeing things in black-and-white terms, while others see neutrality. Some brains learn best through visuals and pictures, whilst other brains learn best through words and step-by-step instructions. Every brain is different which is what makes our world so unique. However, in this instance, a diagnosis is what aids in developing a deeper understanding of how an individual best receives and retains information. Thus, we are not seeking to diagnose for the sake of providing a diagnosis, we are really seeking to understand the “why”. For example, why does this individual have difficulty retaining learning concepts, and why does this individual have difficulty reading social cues? It is in understanding the “why” which is aided through diagnosis, that we can implement the right strategies and target accordingly. If the “why” is understood, individuals and others in their environment, whether that be therapists, teachers, friends, or family members, can begin to gain insight into the why that's driving certain behaviours, thoughts, or feelings.
Diagnosis is to ultimately enrich an understanding of the “why” and gain insight into an individual's brain. It is through this that we begin to understand what their brain needs to thrive, understanding strengths and differences, and creating strategies to assist. For example, an individual whose brain has difficulty adapting to change and routine, a strategy that they might find useful is preparing a visual schedule for the week and sticking to it as best as they can as their brain needs structure and routine.
An individual whose brain learns best through visuals and pictures (i.e. a visual-spatial learner) may have difficulty reading and following other individuals' lines of thought due to their vivid imagination. What their brain needs is to hone in on their visual strengths via pictures, maps and visualisation.
So when teachers, friends or health care professionals suggest maybe there is something more worthwhile to look into, it's not to diagnose to put one in a box, instead it’s to diagnose to better understand how one’s brain works so relevant strategies can be put in place. We ALL have different brain types, and there is not one better than the other. It’s about learning about your brain, what it needs, and what you and those around you can implement to work with your brain, rather than against it.
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