Would you like to improve your understanding of neurodivergence?
It might be in relation to your own experience, or around how you support your clients.
Katrina Bayliss is The Neurodivergent Dog Coach and she supports pet professionals and dog people in improving the way they communicate with their dogs and one another.
Katrina has the most fascinating background, from working in nightclubs to counselling and psychology.
But it was her dog Milo and experience of anxiety that let her into the industry after discovering agility, and becoming very good at it.
She wanted to learn more about her dog, and this fascination led her to become a trainer.
Then, back in 2022, Katrina had an ADHD and later autism diagnosis herself.
It helped her put together many missing pieces of what she describes as the jigsaw of how she saw the world, her work and also how she supported people as a pet professional.
Katrina talks about her experience and why traditional dog training and business advice often don’t work for neurodivergent people.
According to a report by Skillscast, 15% of people in the UK are neurodivergent and ADHD is estimated to affect 3-4% of UK adults - around 2.6 million people.
Katrina explains how our emotional state and unmet needs impact our dogs’ behaviour, and why making services neuro-inclusive is essential if we want to help both ends of the lead.
We also discuss social media overwhelm, whether or not you might want to get involved in things like heated Crufts debates, people-pleasing, and the pressure to be polished and perfect online.
Plus how Katrina is building community through her Neuro Inclusive Dog Hub, Dog Agility Unmasked, her podcast, and new low-cost membership for neurodivergent dog pros.
Topics and timings in this episode:
0.20 - Episode introduction
1.45 - Sponsor message - Pet business content planner.
2.57 - How Katrina found herself in the pet industry.
5.44 - What Katrina did before starting her dog training business.
10.39 - What it’s like to understand both ends of the lead as a psychotherapist and a dog trainer.
14.04 - Making the connection between the clients who share the same approach as you.
16.02 - How Katrina’s diagnosis changed her work.
20.30 - What it was like communicating her new approach online.
44.03 - The kind of response she had from the dog training community.
28.33 - When the ‘aha’ moments happen with her clients.
34.38 - How the world has changed and people are looking for a more holistic approach.
39.14 - Taking care of your needs as a pet professional to build a more sustainable business.
41.40 - Deciding where you spend your time in person and online to take care of your wellbeing.
47.45 - Putting boundaries in place to protect you, your time and your energy.
52.59 - Why overworking sometimes leads to health problems as our bodies try to tell us to stop.
55.29 - Being mindful of making decisions from a need for acceptance and doing what you’re told you ’should’ do.
58.04 - Why Katrina made a community for neurodivergent pet owners and professionals.
1.00.01 - Katrina’s podcast and how that’s been received.
1.03.45 - The downsides of social media.
1.06.10 - The trust recession we’re in during the age of AI.
1.07.14 - Katrina’s new membership community for people looking for more support.
1.16.23 - Letting go of the need to be perfect.
1.17.00 - How to connect with Katrina.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Buy the Pet Business Content Planner here: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/shop/
Learn more about Katrina on her website: https://dogsanddivergentminds.com/about/
And listen to her podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/7rpgGoun9BGrtcZgoAS595
Further listening and reading:
Sasha Louise Smith on harnessing your strengths to build a business you love
Should you buy my pet business content planner?
Navigating comparisonitis as a pet pro with Kate Hoyle
Finding the right pet business community
Making a million on TikTok shop with Gemma from The Herbal Dog Co
Clayton Payne on lessons from 30 years in the pet industry
The confidence experiment and how to feel more brave
How to use the pet business content planner
How to have a pet business reset
