Extraordinary Individuals 2.0

11/11/2025

A brilliant resource on executive functioning by Dandelion Hub! If you like it, share far and wide.

06/11/2025

💥 Masking & Burnout…
💥 The Hidden Cost of “Fitting In”

Like most things in life, masking has both pros and cons and is something everyone does from time to time, regardless of neurotype. We all adjust aspects of ourselves depending on context: being polite at work, using a “customer voice,” etc.

But for neurodivergent individuals, masking often goes far beyond these everyday adjustments. It can mean carefully mentally rehearsing social interactions, mimicking expressions, suppressing feelings or needs, or forcing eye contact - all in an effort to appear “typical” and avoid judgment or exclusion.

While masking can sometimes offer safety or social acceptance, it comes at a significant cost. The constant self-monitoring and suppression of authenticity can lead to intense exhaustion, anxiety, emotional depletion, and identity confusion. In other words, burnout…

Masking doesn’t just contribute to burnout. For many, it’s one of its core drivers.

Becoming aware of this pattern is powerful. It invites self-compassion, space for authenticity, and a shift from surviving to truly being.

✨ Awareness isn’t about guilt. Awareness is about freedom: the freedom to exist without performance, to connect without pretense, and to heal without shame.

⚠️ EI website coming soon… thank you for your patience… 🫣 Who wants to body double with us to get the finishing touches done?! 🫠🫠

29/10/2025

Hard to remember sometimes but so important ❤️

Your child isn’t giving you a hard time — they’re having a hard time managing big impulses with a small brain still under construction.
Connection teaches regulation far more effectively than consequences. 💛

📖 More on understanding your child’s behaviour in my book Guidance from The Therapist Parent, available on www.thetherapistparent.com and Amazon.

29/10/2025

We recently stumbled across Mind Co.’s page, which shares fantastic insights and resources on all things PDA. Highly recommend checking it out if you’re interested in learning more about PDA and ways to offer meaningful support ❤️

🗣️ Advocating for Your PDA Child: Key Phrases That Help Others Understand 🗣️

When teachers, family members, or other caregivers don't understand PDA, it can feel like you're constantly fighting an uphill battle.

Here are some gentle but firm phrases that can help shift the conversation:
Instead of explaining everything, try:
🔹 "They're not being defiant, they're overwhelmed"
This reframes behaviour from wilful disobedience to a nervous system response.
🔹 "Traditional consequences increase their anxiety and make things worse"
Helps others understand why punishment based approaches backfire.
🔹 "They need collaboration, not control"
Shifts focus from power struggles to partnership.
🔹 "Their brain perceives everyday requests as threats"
Explains the neurological reality without blame.
🔹 "What looks like 'won't' is actually 'can't' in that moment"
Distinguishes between choice and capacity.
🔹 "They need more support, not more pressure"
Redirects well-meaning but harmful advice.

For school settings:
🔹 "Can we explore what's driving this behaviour rather than just addressing the behaviour itself?"

For family:
🔹 "I know it looks different from typical parenting, but this approach works for our child's specific needs"

Remember: You don't owe anyone a full explanation of PDA. Sometimes a simple "This is what works for our family" is enough.

Your advocacy matters. Every conversation plants a seed of understanding. 💙

29/10/2025

🧠 We’d love your input!

Dr Marnie and Dr Laura have LOADS of ideas for new fact sheets and resources, BUT we want to make sure we’re creating content that’s genuinely useful and relevant for you!

If there are topics you’d like to see covered in a clear, practical, and accessible way, whether for yourself, your family, or the wider community, please let us know.

You can share your suggestions in the comments below or send us a private message.

We’re always keen to hear from our EI community and tailor our resources to what matters most to you ✨

28/10/2025

✨ Supporting Neurodivergent Teens through Burnout ✨

Neurodivergent burnout in teens can be easily misunderstood. What can look like “laziness,” “defiance,” or “disengagement” is often deep exhaustion - the result of constantly trying to keep up in environments that don’t naturally fit the way their brain works.

At home, burnout may show up as withdrawal, irritability, or loss of motivation. At school, it can look like forgetting tasks, zoning out, or needing more time alone. In both spaces, what’s needed most is understanding, flexibility, and recovery time (not pressure or punishment).

We’ve created two new fact sheets to help parents, caregivers, and educators better recognise and respond to neurodivergent burnout in teens.

💜 Supporting Teens at Home: practical ways to protect recovery time, stay connected, and adjust expectations.

💛 Supporting Teens at School: strategies to reduce cognitive load, build flexibility, and prioritise relationships.

Together, these resources aim to help adults create calmer, more responsive environments where neurodivergent teens can recover and thrive.

Please share far and wide if you know someone who would benefit from this information 🩷

Website coming soon!

26/10/2025

🔥 Coming this week… 🔥 Ways to support TEENS experiencing neurodivergent burnout.

Stay tuned…

25/10/2025

⚠️ If your child is zoning out, melting down, or losing their spark at school… it might not be behaviour. It might be burnout. ⚠️

Neurodivergent burnout is real. And recovery doesn’t mean pulling away from school, it means creating safety, flexibility, and calm. ✨✨

We’ve put together two simple resources to help:

📚At School | 🏡 At Home

Little changes, big difference. ❤️❤️

extraordinaryindividuals.com.au (coming soon)

22/10/2025

🔥 Fact Sheet on Neurodivergent Burnout 🔥

Exhausted, overwhelmed, or constantly “masking” just to get through the day? You’re not alone.

Our latest EI resource breaks down neurodivergent burnout - what it is, how to spot it, and what helps.

Let’s talk about it, and make space for real rest and resilience. 💛

Website launching next week ✨✨

15/10/2025

✨ Let’s not let our neurotypes divide us ✨

I have shared something similar before, but I think it’s really important to remember: the human brain is incredibly complex and doesn’t operate according to neat diagnostic categories. EVERY brain (neurodivergent or neurotypical) shares far more similarities than differences. The traits we often associate with neurodivergence aren’t exclusive to this group. They’re human traits that occur in everyone, but they tend to show up more frequently or more intensely in neurodivergent individuals.

The neurodiversity framework is simply a SOCIAL CONSTRUCT… it’s a way for us to talk about and understand human difference. It reminds us that diversity in the way people think, feel, and experience the world is both valuable and real. It helps us recognise that some people may need different supports, not because something is “wrong” with them, but because their brains work differently.

So while I want to encourage self-compassion, I also want to encourage compassion towards others. Embracing your differences doesn’t mean separating yourself from those who are different from you. The goal isn’t “us versus them.” The world is already polarised enough.

I often tell my patients it’s as if neurotypical people see the world through a blue lens and neurodivergent people through a yellow one. Each lens offers a unique way of understanding and engaging with the world - both have strengths and both have challenges. No brain type is better or worse; just different. When we lead with compassion, for ourselves and for others, we make space for everyone’s way of being to belong. ✨

❤️ Dr Laura

13/10/2025

Let’s talk ADHD! ✨✨

It’s one of the hottest topics on social media right now… but with all the buzz, it can be hard to know what’s actually true. 🤯

We’ve broken down the fundamentals in our clear, easy-to-read fact sheets designed for parents, educators, and individuals alike. 💗

Check them out below 👇

And stay tuned… our website is launching soon!

10/10/2025

Love this post from Dandelion Hub. ✨

AI tools can be really helpful for neurodivergent teens and adults to support executive functioning - helping with planning and organisation (of things but also thoughts), reminders and staying on track when focus or motivation is hard.

This term, I’ve supported many neurodivergent teens who find it tough to break down large homework tasks—often leading to hours of procrastination and frustration. We’ve started exploring how AI tools can help with the first step: breaking big assignments into smaller, more manageable pieces.

Here’s an example of how we use AI together to make homework feel less overwhelming.