Welcome to the Virtual Group that focuses on helping you build self-understanding, and supportive tools for recovering from BURNOUT as a neurodivergent person!
Each Group Session Structure
Brief Group Check In
Orientation to the topics for discussion for that group session provided in a powerpoint format.
Psychoeducation about neurodivergent burnout, integration of various aspects of nervous system regulation, managing self-expectations, boundary setting, understanding your own burnout signs, symptoms, and ways to build in recovery.
Group discussion/reflection on how this applies/doesn’t apply to you. Optional sharing and participation as it feels right to you.
Guided Experiential Exercises created from materials in both of the Unmasking Autism Book, by Devon Price as well as the The Autistic Burnout Workbook: Your Guide to Your Personal Recovery Plan Paperback, by Dr. Megan Anna Neff individually completed.
Group discussion/reflection, sharing about the self-knowledge developed through the exercise(s), and shared brainstorming about tools, strategies that are helpful.
Ending with a Group check out & Sharing Takeaways from Group Gathering
This group is a closed group which means you need to commit to attending all 8 sessions to both get the most out of the offered materials, sessions, and also to cultivate a sense of belonging and safety to share with each other.
Given the nature of the group, an initial meet and greet brief call needs to happen before you can register for the group. Please click the link below to do that.
This Group is open to anyone age 18+, and whom resides within Ontario and New Brunswick.
Unmasking Neurodivergence & BURNOUT RECOVERY Virtual Group
Now Enrolling for the 9 Week Virtual Group focused on supporting Autistics, ADHDer’s, and AuDHDer’s interested in learning how to Unmask, Increase Awareness, and build a Burnout Recovery Toolbox with neurodivergent affirming support.
“Self-identifying or being formally diagnosed as Autistic, ADHD, or Audhd is only a starting place to understanding yourself, living authentically, and building self-accommodations that support you living life on your terms. Unmasking is part of the journey to improving quality of life for Autistics and ADHDer’s. Burnout is too often the the shared experience for neurodivergent folk’s.”
We are here to support you alongside your journey in building self-knowledge and recovery tools unique to your own sensory, neurotype, and nervous system needs.
~ Shelley Restall & Amanda Broderick, Co-Facilitators
Part of learning about yourself can involve reading, sharing with peers who can relate, feeling heard and validated, and also trying out new things.
This group includes all these parts. It has a focus on guiding from a lived experience lens, from neurodivergent facilitators, who will provide in each session:
A brief part of psycho-education about the topic of discussion relating to nervous system regulation, supporting yourself through burnout prevention to actual experience of burnout.
Guide participants through experiential exercises to support unmasking, developing self-knowledge, self-acceptance, and building new burnout recovery tools.
Hold a safe space for sharing and relating to others on individual journey of learning how to unmask in their lives, and how to heal from BURNOUT as a neurodivergent individual.
It is recommended that you purchase and read the book either before the group begins, or during the group duration. This is not required, rather just a suggestion.
Group Outline Session by Session to Support you in understanding what to expect when joining.
Week 1: Orienting to group, creating group sharing framework, understanding a shared definition of masking as a neurodivergent person. Building self-awareness of your current status in terms of fatigue, exhaustion, burnout, and what you are currently doing that both contributes to it, and improves it.
Week 2: Who are the masked autistics? This topic will explore understanding how masking shows up in our lives. TBD….
Week 3: The anatomy of burnout includes discussions and explorations about when, how, and ways that masking protects us. What led to us learning to mask and developing this skill will be other aspects discussed too.
Week 4: The costs of masking is the focus of discussions and exploration of how this applies to you as well.
Week 5: Rethinking Burnout and moving away from the medical model to interpret burnout.
Week 6: Building an authentic and self-accommodating neurodivergent affirming life is an overall topic of discussion to guide our experiential exercises, discussions of ways to support ourselves and connect with one another in shared experiences.
Week 7: Cultivating Authentic Autistic/ADHD Relationships is the focus of discussions and exercises.
Week 8: Creating a neurodiverse world, sharing unmasking experiences, and sharing takeaways of the group will be the guided discussion and exercise focus.
Week 9: TBD.
Self-Accommodation is part of learning to unmask, live authentically, while creating a space to live with more joy and less BURNOUT.
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Use headphones for privacy or focus with reduced distraction.
Need a drink or snack?
Using a weighted blanket or blanket for warmth/comfort.
Gather fidgets that you like.
Space to wiggle or change sitting arrangement.
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Using chat box to share ideas or ask questions.
Leave video on or off.
No expectations to make eye contact.
We can turn on live captions in zoom if preferred by group members.
Any other communication needs or accommodations, please reach out to ask! We are happy to help where we can.
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Do you like to write down things to process? Grab a notebook and pen/pencil/markers, or a electronic format to type notes.
Sharing verbally in group. You can participate with the guided experientially exercise or at the time blocks provided in group to share reflections, observations, and thoughts about the topic talked about.
Giving yourself permission to take space to process and download the information mentally and then identify someone you can share your reflections with, or bring back to the group next meeting.
Other ideas? Please share them because this list is just a starting list, and we are always open to hearing more ideas and thoughts about what works for you. Others can benefit from ideas sharing too.
Meet Amanda Broderick, BSW Student Intern and Co-Facilitator
Meet Amanda, an autistic, disabled, white bodied female who is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Social Worker degree from Dalhousie University. She is completing a practicum placement with a clinical social work focus in Shelley Restall’s Counselling practice. Amanda is passionate about supporting late diagnosed autistic females (including self-diagnosed, exploring neurodivergence), to build a life that is based on self-knowledge, self-acceptance, creating systems of neurodivergent affirming support for daily life, and de-constructing internalized ableism that is self-limiting.