Don't dis-my-ability

06/05/2026

Autistic Burnout Is Like a Concussion of the Mind: What Helped Me Recover

As a , I’ve spent the last while recovering from autistic burnout.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that there is no magic fix.

People often ask, “What’s the one thing that helped?”

The truth is, recovery isn’t one thing. It’s more like a recipe. Different ingredients matter, and each person needs different amounts of each ingredient.

Here are some of the ingredients that have helped me move from surviving toward recovering.

• Asking for help. This meant being vulnerable enough to acknowledge the things I struggle with and finding people whose gifts complement my challenges. People in our networks often want to help, but if we never ask, we suffer in silence.

• Having something to look forward to. Hope matters. I often tell my clients that if you don’t have something to feel hopeful about, it’s easy to feel hopeless.

• Reconnecting with things that bring me joy. During burnout, even enjoyable activities can feel overwhelming. I couldn’t engage in them the way I once did, but I started small and worked my way back.

• Re-engaging with people. Many of us want connection, yet we wait for invitations that never come. I realized that relationships often require initiative. Instead of waiting, I hosted a large pizza party and invited friends together.

• Looking beyond burnout. Blood work revealed that I was deficient in Vitamin D, my blood sugar levels were all over the place, and I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Managing those health issues explained some of the fatigue, brain fog, and symptoms I had been attributing solely to burnout.

• Planning experiences. Day trips, golf with friends, and comedy shows gave me positive experiences to anticipate and enjoy.

• Giving myself grace. Accepting that my capacity was limited and being kinder to myself has been one of the hardest but most important parts of recovery.

To me, autistic burnout is like a concussion of the mind.

If you try to do too much, too soon, you can set yourself back. Unfortunately, that’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way.

I wouldn’t say I’m fully recovered yet, but I’m probably about 85% there.

One of the newest additions to my recovery plan is taking Fridays off during the summer. More time with family. More time outdoors. More time being present.

Recovery isn’t about finding the one thing.

It’s about finding the right combination of things, at the right time, and giving yourself permission to heal.

If you’re recovering from autistic burnout, be patient with yourself. Progress is still progress, even when it feels slow.

04/24/2026

Still reflecting on this past Tuesday at

We had record attendance—both in person and virtually—for a conversation on neuro-inclusivity in the workplace.

That matters.

It tells me more people are ready to move beyond awareness…
and start understanding each other in a deeper, more human way.

I don’t go into these spaces to tell organizations what they should do.
I share perspective—rooted in lived experience—so people can start seeing strengths where they may have only seen challenges.

Because when understanding shifts…
culture follows.

Grateful to Irving Oil for creating space for that kind of conversation.

If your organization is ready for this kind of dialogue, let’s connect.

04/17/2026

Next Tuesday, I’ll be in Saint John with Irving Oil.

I’ll be speaking on Building a Neuro-Inclusive Workplace, and really just sharing some perspective shaped by my own lived experience.

A lot of what impacts how we work together isn’t obvious.

It’s the small things—
how fast conversations move,
what we expect a response to look like,
how we read silence or directness.

For a long time, I was on the receiving end of that without having the language for it.

Things didn’t always land the way they were intended.
And I know I didn’t always land the way I intended either.

That experience sticks with you.

It changes how you see workplaces.
Where misunderstandings come from.
And how small shifts in awareness can make things feel very different.

Because most of the time, it’s not about people not trying.
It’s just different ways of thinking, processing, and communicating crossing paths.

Looking forward to the conversations next week.

04/02/2026

I had an incredible day yesterday giving my first annual Dr. Hackie Reitman lecture on at .

I know my friend and mentor would be very proud of how well it was received by his alma mater.

Thank you to the folks at for your continued support and providing me the opportunity to help Hackie’s legacy live on.

03/29/2026

I’m excited to give my first annual lecture on next week at Boston University School of Medicine!

02/11/2026

The old is up and running! Just a few games on it now but more coming soon!

02/09/2026

Does your child always do the opposite of what you ask? Pick out a gift and then complain when they receive it? These can be signs of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), which is especially challenging for single parents.

02/03/2026

It’s been a busy couple of weeks but looking forward to sitting down this weekend to binge read by !!!!!!!!!! order yours on today: https://a.co/d/09k9MuWQ

01/30/2026

I am extremely proud to be an Advisory Board Member for this collaborative project between UConn Civil and Environmental Engineering and the University of Missouri (Mizzou) called Collaborative Research: IUSE/PFE: RED Partnership – Cultivating Neuroadaptive Learning Ecosystems through AI-Powered Personalized Learning!

Send a message to learn more

01/28/2026

Sitting in LA, developing a sitcom, Bruce McCulloch (Kids in the Hall) asked if I had ADHD. I was frozen. Never occurred to me. Dismissed it at first, but it stuck with me. Eventually, Jer and I couldn't shake it either.