Not Broken, Just Different: Deconstructing the Medical Model of Disability
- Mema Mansouri
- Aug 16
- 2 min read
In a world that often rushes to label differences as “deficits,” many neurodivergent individuals are left feeling misunderstood, stigmatized, or pressured to conform. At our practice, we hold a different perspective: being neurodivergent is not about being broken, it’s about being uniquely wired.
Understanding the Medical Model of Disability
Traditionally, the medical model of disability has dominated how society views neurodiversity. This model focuses on diagnosis, impairment, and what someone can’t do. Through this lens, ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other neurodivergent ways of being are often described as problems to be “fixed” or conditions that need “treatment.”
While medical care can be helpful and even necessary in many areas of life, this model risks reducing people to their challenges rather than recognizing their full humanity. It can leave individuals internalizing the message that they are defective, rather than whole.
Introducing the Social Model of Disability
The social model of disability offers a powerful alternative. Instead of viewing disability as a problem located within the individual, this model recognizes that barriers are created by society itself, through environments, expectations, and systems that are not designed with neurodiversity in mind. For example:
A classroom that only rewards sitting still and memorization creates barriers for students who learn best through movement or creativity.
A workplace that prizes constant meetings may exclude those who thrive in focused, independent work.
A culture that equates “normal” with one narrow way of thinking or communicating fails to honor the many ways human minds can flourish.
When society adapts, by providing flexibility, accessibility, and acceptance, disability shifts from being an individual “deficit” to a matter of inclusion and equity.
From Deficit-Based Thinking to Strength-Based Living
Deficit-based language tells people what they lack. Strength-based language illuminates what they bring to the world. A neurodivergent mind might be described as “disorganized” in one setting, but seen as “innovative and adaptable” in another. The shift is not about denial, it’s about perspective. When we embrace difference, we allow individuals to:
Celebrate their creativity, resilience, and problem-solving.
Recognize their lived experience as valuable expertise.
Reframe challenges as opportunities for growth with the right support, not as evidence of inadequacy.
As therapists, we are committed to creating spaces where neurodivergent clients feel seen, respected, and empowered. We don’t see our clients as projects to fix. We see them as whole people navigating a world that hasn’t always been designed for their brilliance. Therapy, then, becomes a place of partnership, where healing emerges not from conformity but from authenticity.
You are not broken. You are different. And different is deeply human. By shifting from the medical model to the social model, and from deficit-based thinking to strength-based understanding, we open doors to belonging, empowerment, and thriving.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only, is not a substitute for mental‑health treatment, and does not establish a therapist–client relationship. If you need personalized support, please consult a licensed mental‑health professional in your area. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (U.S.) or your local emergency number.
