High masking autism involves suppressing autistic traits to blend into neurotypical expectations, often at great personal cost. While masking can provide social and professional advantages, it also leads to chronic exhaustion, burnout, and identity confusion. Many high-masking autistic adults don’t realize the toll until they reach complete burnout, after years of suppression. Understanding the impact of masking is the first step toward self-acceptance and breaking free from the cycle of exhaustion. Read more about the hidden costs of high masking autism and how to navigate unmasking.

Health & Wellness, NeurodivergenceKristina RisolaMarch 17, 2025Autism, Mental Health, Unmasking, Neurodivergence, NeurodiversityComment

How to Pick the Right Therapist: Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy

You’re ready to give therapy a chance, but the process of trying to find a therapist who truly understands the unique strengths and challenges of a neurodivergent person can feel so overwhelming. How are you supposed to know from a short profile if this person is someone you can spill your guts to? This guide is designed to help you navigate the process by breaking down some clear, actionable steps to identify a professional who is genuinely supportive of your experiences.

What is Autistic Masking?

Late-diagnosed and high-masking autistic adults often carry an invisible burden. Our ability to “pass” as neurotypical is seen as a strength in society, but it comes at a deep personal cost. Many of us don’t realize how much effort we exert to our mask until we begin to unravel and burn out. For some of us, realizing that we’ve been masking our true selves for our ENTIRE lives can be more shocking than our autism diagnosis itself. Our masks have been running for so long that we don’t know where they begin or end, blurring the lines between who we are and who we feel pressured to be.

Neurodivergence, Health & WellnessKristina RisolaMarch 3, 2025Autism, Unmasking, Neurodiversity, NeurodivergenceComment

You're Autistic: What to Expect After a Late Diagnosis

Finding out you are autistic as an adult - whether through self-identification, therapy, or a formal evaluation - is absolutely life-changing. For many of us, it’s a moment of clarity, validation, and relief, and it can bring a wave of self-compassion. But after that initial realization sets in, what comes next? This post covers some of what you might experience as you begin to digest what this new awareness means for your life and journey down the unmasking process.

Health & Wellness, NeurodivergenceKristina RisolaFebruary 24, 2025Autism, NeurodivergenceComment

5 Expressive Arts Exercises For Autistic Unmasking

For many late-diagnosed Autistic adults, unmasking is both empowering and unsettling. After a lifetime of suppressing Autistic traits to fit into a neurotypical world, the question Who am I beneath this mask? takes center stage. Expressive arts exercises can offer a powerful, nonverbal vehicle to reconnect with your authentic self in a way that feels grounding and embodied. In this post, we’re diving into 5 of my favorite unmasking expressive arts exercises.

Expressive Arts, Health & Wellness, NeurodivergenceKristina RisolaFebruary 17, 2025Autism, Neurodivergence, Expressive Arts, Unmasking, CreativityComment

Benefits of Online Therapy for Neurodivergent Adults

Starting therapy - whether for the first time or with a new therapist - can feel overwhelming, especially for neurodivergent adults. The sensory stressors, the effort of traveling, and the energy drain of in-person sessions can all chip away at the capacity we need to actually engage in the work. Virtual therapy offers a more accessible, flexible alternative, allowing us to prioritize growth without the added strain.

Health & Wellness, Neurodivergence, TherapyKristina RisolaFebruary 3, 2025Mental Health, Neurodivergence, ND Affirming Therapy, AutismComment

Copyright 2025 CRooked tree Arts & Wellness, LLC Kristina Risola mA, CRC, NBC-HWC, RMHCI info@beacrookedtree.com

Copyright 2025 CRooked tree Arts & Wellness, LLC
Kristina Risola mA, CRC, NBC-HWC, RMHCI
info@beacrookedtree.com