Unmasking is an ongoing process of noticing when we’re performing, deciding what serves us, and making gradual adjustments, according to Essy Knopf therapist and author of “Unmasking: What We Lose by Pretending and How to Get It Back”. Essy shares his autism diagnosis at 25 and later recognition of ADHD, highlighting how masking and non-stereotypical presentations delayed identification. In this conversation Essy shares about:

• Internalized ableism
• Conditional self-worth
• Burnout, and
• The difficulty of forming authentic connections while performing for acceptance.

This episode offers a grounded discussion of identity, self-advocacy, and living more intentionally as a neurodivergent adult.

Book: Unmasking: What We Lose by Pretending and How to Get It Back

Website: https://essyknopf.com

Check out Essy's YouTube channel

Essy on Instagram

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In this episode I chat with Natalie Diggins, technologist and author of The Autistic Adult's Toolbox. Natalie gives step-by-step strategies and tools that work for autistics. From parties to friendships to doctor’s appointments Natalie shares the toolbox she developed using her systems approach to problem solving. You’ll learn how to have a plan before socializing, how to save energy for what matters and how to recognize your limits. Using checklists, questionnaires, planners and scripts Leslie helps you find out what you really want and how to get there. Get all the details from the ingenious Natalie Diggins.

Some of what you'll learn about:

*How to prepare for a doctor's appointment or medical procedure

*How to comfortably handle social situations

*Three key strategies to make friendships easier

Natalie's book: The Autistic Adult's Toolbox

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If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.

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June 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together

Every day autistic people face the big question. We can stay hidden or we can be real. There’s no right or wrong answer…except maybe this one time?

When have you been in a situation like this and what did you choose? Write to me at info@theautisticwoman.com

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Ever notice how nature calms you, music shifts your mood and soft textures make you feel amazing?

Sensory processing plays a role in how autistic adults experience the world—yet it’s often misunderstood. In this episode, Donna Redman and occupational therapist Cindy Duffy unpack what sensory processing really is, how it affects emotional regulation and behavior, and why so many autistic adults spend years masking sensory discomfort.

We talk about:

• What sensory processing is and how it works in the nervous system
• How sensory differences show up in autistic adults
• Masking sensory discomfort and the emotional cost of “looking fine”
• The connection between sensory overload and anxiety, agitation, and burnout
• How environment, nature, and art support sensory well-being
• Why awareness alone can dramatically reduce stress and self-blame

The Secret Genius of Sensory Processing website

The Secret Genius of Sensory Processing Quick Start Guide

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RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads!

If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.

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Have you been told you’re “too sensitive?” Do you struggle to complete tasks or projects? Have you given up trying to find out why life seems hard?

In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Gilly Kahn reveals why many women with ADHD are stressing themselves to appear normal and how the clinical world’s focus on young boys has left millions of women without answers.

We talk about:

• The "Double Burden" of Success: Why high IQ and degrees often act as a barrier to diagnosis, leaving women to struggle in secret.
• RSD vs. Reality: Understanding Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria—not as a personality trait, but as a neurological response to a lifetime of negative feedback.
• Hormonal Interference: A look at how hormones affect ADHD and ADHD medications
• Creative Survival: Why habits labeled “quirky” might actually be high-level executive function workarounds.

Dr. Gilly Kahn’s website

Book: Allow Me To Interrupt: A Psychologist Reveals the Emotional Truth Behind Women’s ADHD

Dr Gilly Kahn on Instagram

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If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.

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You’re done and you don’t know why. The brain is turned off and no words come to mind. You might not move. You might cry. You might be desperate to be alone. This is what shutdown feels like. How do you recognize a shutdown and is there anything you can do to prevent it? This episode has some answers.

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RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads!

If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.

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What do you think of interoception? No, really, how do you feel about it? There are ways to get in touch with your mind, body and emotions. Learn how they’re connected and whether interoception is an issue for you.

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RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads!

If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.

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You must have heard the all-too-often repeated myth that vaccines cause autism. It doesn’t stop there. The faulty information that’s spread about autism is worth knowing. Listen now.

Remastered.

Contact me at info@theautisticwoman.com with myths you've heard!

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RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads!

If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.

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