Navigating Autistic Shutdown and Burnout Through a Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach

• By: Jessica C. Kitchens, MS, MBA, LPC, LADAC, RPT, MAC, BCCS Allied Collaborative and University of Central Arkansas
• April 4th, 2025
• burnout, executive dysfunction, masking, neurodiversity, self-care, sensory overload, shutdown, Spring 2025 Issue, therapy, trauma, treatments
• 158    0

(Note: This article is written in neurodiversity-affirming language, including identity-first language) Autistic shutdown is a widely recognized but poorly understood neurological response to overwhelming stress. Despite its significance, research on shutdown remains scarce, with most scholarly...