The Psychology of Autism and Burnout

Despite around 80% of autistic individuals experiencing autistic burnout during their lifetime, this experience is poorly recognised and little known partly due to stereotypes about what autism is. For too long, professionals have outlined what autism is by looking at how it appears through visible behaviour on the outside, but have neglected those with lived experience of autism themselves. This talk will forefront the experiences of those with autism, exploring the distinctive features of autism that can lead to burnout.

Join Dr Joanne Riordan to learn about the intersection of sensory overload, social exhaustion, and the pressures of masking that can contribute to burnout. Gain a deeper understanding of the physical, emotional, and cognitive toll this condition can take, as well as practical approaches to support autistic individuals during recovery. Whether you are autistic yourself or want to become a better ally to autistic individuals, this talk will help you learn more about a neglected side of autism, broaden your understanding of autism and equip you with practical tools to support yourself and/or others going through autistic burnout.

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7.30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

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Dr Joanne Riordan is a consultant educational psychologist, founder of the popular Differently Parenting Programme™, guest university lecturer, mentor at The University of Cambridge, and previous school teacher. Joanne is a member of the Autistic Burnout Network, which seeks to improve knowledge of autistic burnout amongst professionals. Joanne’s company, Dr Joanne Ltd., is passionate about supporting neurodivergent young people to thrive within neuro-affirming environments. Joanne achieves this through parent workshops and courses, CPD for schools, workplaces, and Local Authorities, guest speaking, and workshops for young people. In addition to her professional expertise, Joanne is neurodivergent herself and the parent to a neurodivergent child, so she has lived experience on this Seed Talk topic from every angle. Joanne was nominated for the National Diversity Award 2022 and 2023, for her work in the field of Neurodiversity.

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