Unmasking for Autistic, ADHD, and Neurodivergent People

One of the most common challenges I encounter through coaching neurodivergent people is masking. Although most people alter their behavior and hide certain aspects of themselves from others, masking in neurodivergent people is often extreme and a trauma response.

Agenda:

How masking develops

Specific steps and strategies to begin unmasking

Recognizing roles and behavior expectations in various scenarios so we can let our personalities shine while staying within social norms

Through social rejection in our formative years, we learn to mask as a protective mechanism to avoid facing the excruciating pain of rejection or not fitting in. Being neurodivergent, this became extreme because I could less understand social cues. My mask often involved shutting down entirely and trying to disappear, as I never knew what would cause odd looks or hurtful comments from my peers.

This workshop will focus more in-depth on how masking develops, specific steps and strategies to begin unmasking or letting you be yourself around others, and will touch on recognizing roles and behavioral expectations in various scenarios so we can fine-tune and balance letting our personalities shine while staying within social norms for the given situation.

Host or Publisher Leanna Buckingham, MS. Ed