The Cost of Camouflage: Exploring Masking and Burnout in Neurodivergent Clients
This course explores the nuanced experiences of neurodivergent clients related to masking, identity development, and burnout. Mental health professionals will gain a deeper understanding of the psychological and emotional toll of masking behaviors, which are often used by neurodivergent individuals to navigate neurotypical expectations.
Participants will examine how sustained masking contributes to identity diffusion, misdiagnosis, and neurodivergent burnout—an experience distinct from general burnout and shaped by unique sensory, social, and emotional demands. The course provides practical clinical strategies to support clients in unmasking safely, fostering self-understanding, and promoting authentic self-expression within and beyond the therapeutic relationship.
Course•By Emily Kircher-Morris