Why do so many neurodivergent adults feel lazy or like failed adults?

In this episode of The Right Therapist, counsellor and narrative therapist Dana Kabaila explores neurodivergence, burnout, masking, and the deeper systems that shape how people understand themselves.

Drawing on lived experience, Dana challenges the idea of “laziness,” reframing it as a mismatch between neurodivergent ways of being and the demands of a productivity-driven world.

The conversation explores how shame-based identities form, why burnout is so common, and how narrative therapy can help people separate themselves from problem-saturated stories.

Dana also introduces the concept of neuro rewilding — reconnecting with natural rhythms, needs, and more sustainable ways of living beyond rigid societal expectations.