In this episode therapist, author and autistic woman Sharon O'Connor shares her deeply personal journey to a late autism diagnosis and the burnout that changed everything.

Sharon shares what it was like to begin recognizing herself in her young son's autism evaluation, how two dramatically different diagnostic assessments shaped her understanding and how she has healed from autistic burnout.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What it's like to receive an autism diagnosis as an adult, and why the diagnostic experience matters as much as the outcome
• The relationship between masking and autistic burnout — and why burnout is never a personal failure
• Early warning signs that burnout may be approaching
• Why energy is the foundation of autistic life, and how sensitivity to others' emotions is often a form of self-protection
• How burnout affects our sense of identity 
• Practical suggestions for managing burnout when leaving a demanding job simply isn't an option
• Why connection with other autistic people can be transformative
• What life can look like on the other side of burnout

Website: SharonKOConnor.com 

Book: Healing Autistic Burnout — available in print, e-book, and audiobook https://a.co/d/028qGW4a

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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 [email protected].

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June 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together