Here’s yet another new word – Phantomolog – meaning a word that describes a meaningless concept. Neurotypical is such a word. It implies that some people are neurologically normal, while others, who are neurodivergent, are not. The reality, of course, is that it isn’t possible to identify a statistical norm for how our minds work, any more than it is to define a normal body shape or physical appearance. We are all a mixture of neurological traits that shape our identity and how we interact with the world around us. We speak a multitude of languages, each of which carries assumptions that may differ from those of people from other cultures and languages. There’s very little practical difference between two people from different linguistic-cultural backgrounds and two people with different brain architectures. We are all neurodivergent from each other, but not from a norm, because it doesn’t exist!
It doesn’t help that the term Autistic Spectrum Disorder is inaccurate and confusing. A spectrum has opposing ends. Autism is expressed through a wide variety of different traits that can’t be put onto a spectrum. Only one factor is an exception – the degree, to which the person is able to thrive within a social context that is designed for people with a different set of divergent traits. The words autism and disorder only belong together, when a person is unable to function in their environment – yet even then, it can be argued that it is the environment that is dysfunctional.
We (Francoise Orlov and I) are working with coaches around the world, who have a formal diagnosis of one or more common classifications of neurodiversity – Autism, ADHD and HSP (highly sensitive persons) to validate their experience and the value they bring to coaching. One of the outcomes of these dialogues is the realisation that these coaches require supervision that allows them to “de-mask” and employ their authentic selves in service of their clients. They need a safe space, where they can explore their unique abilities and challenge restrictive norms.
We are now inviting coaches, who feel this is a community where they could feel they belong, to join the upcoming cohorts for online supervision groups, which start in September. More details can be found on the programme webpage.
© David Clutterbuck, 2026