The Mental Health Impact of Masking for Neurodivergent Individuals
Welcome back to The Driven Woman Entrepreneur Podcast. I just couldn’t wrap up the Self Care series without talking about neurodivergence, masking, and mental health, and the perfect person for conversation is fellow therapist, coach, podcaster, DEI speaker and advocate, Pasha Marlowe.
In this vulnerable episode, full of personal stories from both Pasha’s history and my own, you'll hear about the challenges and advantages of masking, understand the emotions of being neurodivergent in a world that is built by and for neurotypicals, and discover ways to foster radical self-acceptance, wherever you are.
We're unpacking a variety of insections - from growing up with unidentified ADHD and autism, attempting to hide emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity, and later in life recognition of a queer identity and the power of language in creating an inclusive society.
Mic Drop Moment:
"It takes a physical and emotional toll to mask, to hide, to conceal anything or suppress any of our tendencies or identities or truths. It also feels, I think quite misaligned and lonely, but both are painful. Like it's painful to be judged and rejected and unsafe, and it's terribly painful to not be respected or seen and known." Pasha Marlowe
Mentioned during our convo:
Brene Brown quote (in purple, scroll down)
Eric Maisel’s book “When Smart People Hurt”
Connect with Pasha Marlowe:
Have you loved the Self-Care Series? Want to hear more content like this on the podcast? I need to hear from you!
Did you build your business with your neurodivergent traits and tendencies in mind? If not, you aren’t alone. Not only is this a courageous choice, but most of us have no idea how because our educational and workplace environments teach us conformity and masking, not radical self-acceptance and doing what actually works for us.
This might be the perfect time to partner with a business coach who is also a licensed therapist and entrepreneur with ADHD (me) to reinvent your business with YOU in mind.
I choose to work with a limited number of 1:1 clients at a time, so I can customize our coaching engagement to be exactly what you need, no more, no less.
It starts with a no-obligation free consultation to help you figure out why your business is not yet where you want it to be, and create a plan that takes mental wellness and energetic capacity into account.
Want to know more? Schedule a free consultation here by clicking here.
