Events

Masking can be exhausting. For many neurodivergent and queer individuals, years of hiding traits, identities, or needs can lead to burnout, anxiety, disconnection, and loss of self. 🌈🧠

Join Autism Edmonton for Unmasking: Embracing ADHD, Autism, & Queerness featuring Amanda Montey (they/them). This affirming virtual learning session will explore the experience of masking across ADHD, autism, and queer identities while highlighting pathways toward authenticity, self-acceptance, community, and thriving.

Participants will gain insight into how societal expectations shape masking behaviors, the emotional impact of constantly adapting to fit in, and how embracing neurodivergent and queer identities can support well-being and connection. This session is valuable for neurodivergent individuals, caregivers, professionals, educators, and allies wanting to better understand these intersecting lived experiences.

Many autistic, ADHD, and queer individuals are told to “just talk about it” when it comes to emotions, overwhelm, identity, and mental health. But emotional processing does not look the same for everyone. 🧠🌈

Join Autism Edmonton for You Don’t Have To Talk About It: Understanding Emotions, Identity & Overwhelm, an affirming virtual learning session exploring the many ways neurodivergent and queer individuals experience, process, and express emotions.

This session will examine emotional overwhelm, shutdown, masking, identity development, internalized expectations, and alternative ways of communicating and understanding feelings beyond traditional verbal processing. Participants will gain insight into how autistic and ADHD individuals may navigate emotions differently, while also exploring the impact of queer identity, sensory stress, burnout, and social expectations.

This learning opportunity is designed for autistic and ADHD individuals, caregivers, educators, professionals, mental health practitioners, and allies wanting to better understand neurodivergent emotional experiences in a compassionate and validating way.