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Therapy for autistic burnout and masking: 
for autistic professionals,
by autistic therapist.

Does your everyday leave you exhausted?

If you are late-diagnosed or recently self-identified as autistic, you may have spent years masking at work..and at home. The exhaustion of performing a human being you are not isn't sustainable anymore.

You might take pride in the ability to understand others' perspectives but desperately miss the same for yourself. Your feelings might be brushed off as "being too sensitive" or your needs not taken seriously because as a late-identified autistic person you have "managed fine" up until now.

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Perhaps burnout isn't a weakness but a signal. Perhaps something needs to change.

Demands at work accumulate like compound interest?

You may love the technical challenges of your job but you certainly don't love the stuff that involves people. Meetings without agendas, murky undercurrents of office politics...You see it for what it is and you just can do without.

Are you feeling trapped?

Once the day job hours are over your chair swivels to the household reality of mess, loud noises, bright lights and yet more people wanting stuff from you. 

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Or may be you come home to emptiness and wish somebody was there to talk to, to do your own stuff alongside.

Frustration simmers for a long time.

You explode with anger. Or you shut down. You even stop talking sometimes.

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You have achieved so much. Status. Education. Respect. Perhaps built a family. But it is somehow hollow. And you are so profoundly alone.

 

​You ask yourself: "May be I should just accept that's how it is?"

​Life doesn't have to be got through.

You can choose purpose and authenticity. You can also create a lasting change for others.

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If you are looking for a deep connection in your relationships, a sense of meaning and a new direction in life, you are in the right place.

An image of a seashore. A peaceful scenery can bring calm to autistic minds.

"I started seeing Lii after being diagnosed with autism and feeling overwhelmed due to a significant change in my work life which lead to constant anxiety and a lot of all-or-nothing thinking . They've helped me to better understand those patterns and build more balanced ways of thinking, whilst also supporting me through the challenges of being autistic in the workplace. I found the environment safe, non judgemental and relaxed with any tips and advice given always practical. I’d highly recommend them to other autistic adults looking for support."

T., IT professional

Lii Brooke, an autistic therapist, supporting autistic adults in Beaconsfield, HP9.

What would you like your life to be like?

You may have tried counselling before and it felt like yet another performance. Guessing the right thing to say. Stumped by open questions. And just outright sceptical of the whole thing?

 

My name is Lii. I am an autistic therapist and I am with you. I have been there too.

 

Of course your reality is unique and I cannot claim to know exactly what it is like. But there is a lot to be said for similarity of life experience and of cognitive styles. Recognition, comprehension and empathy come almost effortlessly.

 

Alongside running a counselling practice, I am a data analyst and a postgraduate researcher. I wholeheartedly support the LGBTQIA+ community and understand firsthand what it is like to have a complex cultural and ethnic heritage.

I help autistic professionals to:​

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  • gain clarity on their autistic identity

  • raise self-esteem

  • find purpose

  • discover joy at work

  • negotiate positive relationships

  • create a legacy

 

We achieve this together by exploring your experiences, thoughts and emotions. We then define a realistic version of the future you would like to have and create a plan with actionable steps. It is an iterative process and I encourage you to use the sessions as ​accountability check-ins. 

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If you have recently realised you are autistic and are looking for help with figuring out what this means to you, I do offer bespoke post-diagnosis sessions. Therapy can be very useful if you have a formal diagnosis or self-identify. Here is a quick video on what it entails. 

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I have supported lawyers, academics and technology professionals, including solution architects, software developers, data engineers and testers. If you are looking for a therapist, who understands the joys and frustrations of a demanding career, here I am!

 

Even though I specialise in working with autistic adults, particularly those in tech and academia, I was trained as a mental health generalist. I also work with people of different neurotypes. ​If my message speaks to you, I would be very glad to help.

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If what you have read here sounds good but you would like to find out more about me and my therapy service before getting in touch, then why not follow me on LinkedIn. 

  • LinkedIn

Questions about therapy for autistic professionals

I'm stuck in a cycle of burnout and depression. How is therapy different from just "pushing through" again?

​Therapy helps you understand why the cycle keeps repeating, not just how to survive the next round. We explore what's driving the burnout, be it masking or unmet needs, identify the early warning signs you might be missing and create sustainable changes rather than temporary fixes. Many clients find that recognising burnout as a signal, not a personal failing, is the first step toward breaking the cycle. Unlike "pushing through," therapy addresses the root causes so you can build a life that doesn't constantly deplete you. And, yes, some of the necessary changes might be small and straightforward, others will require a lot of thinking.​​​​​

I can't seem to start anything, even things I want to do. Is this something therapy can help with?

Yes. This feeling of a physical hurdle blocking you from starting tasks is not unusual for autistic and ADHD adults. It is sometimes referred to as autistic or ADHD inertia. In therapy we explore what's underneath the paralysis. It's often not laziness but a combination of decision fatigue, perfectionism or your brain protecting you from more demand onslaught. Together we work on breaking down the overall task into genuinely manageable steps, identifying what restores your motivation, and building manageable routines that work with your nervous system rather than against it.

My intelligence has got me this far but I'm worried I'll fail if I can't get organised. Can you help with executive function challenges?

Absolutely. Many AuDHD and ADHD professionals excel intellectually but struggle with organisation, task initiation, and following through to completion. This isn't a character flaw. I will help identify, which specific aspects are hardest for you (starting tasks, maintaining routines, decision-making), explore what strategies you've already tried, why they haven't stuck and create personalised approaches that suit how your brain actually works. The goal is ease and satisfaction with getting things done, not forcing yourself into productivity systems that don't fit.

I feel completely alone even though I look successful to others. How does therapy help with loneliness?

Loneliness for autistic people often isn't about lacking social contact, instead it might be about not feeling truly understood. Together we explore what meaningful connection looks like for you. It might be about deeper relationships with fewer people.  We then identify barriers. Is fear holding you back? Is it memories of past bullying? Or perhaps not knowing how to find "your people"? I will help you work on both self-acceptance and practical strategies for creating the close friendships or partnership you're craving. Many clients find that once they understand and attend to their own needs, they're more inclined to try new things and interact with others.

I've lost my sense of purpose and direction. Can therapy help me find meaning again?

Yes. Many autistic adults, especially after late diagnosis, during burnout or at points of transition, feel they've lost their sense of direction. Therapy provides space to explore what actually matters to you, not what you think should matter, identify what's blocking you from pursuing meaningful projects and create realistic steps toward the life you want. Maybe rediscovering purpose isn't about finding one grand answer...Perhaps it's about reconnecting with what brings you genuine fulfillment and then building your life around that?

Do you need time alone like oxygen? Yet finding it in your hectic schedule seems impossible?

Does coding or research take you into a mesmerising state of flow? Wish you could have more of that? 

Would you like true understanding from your partner and friends? 

And what about autism?

There are a lot of views on being autistic, some of which are opposing. For transparency, here's mine. I strongly believe autism is a cognitive difference and not an impairment.

 

Start with strengths and see possibilities, start with struggles and see limitations. Which do you choose?

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Previous clients gained calm, clarity and hope for the future. They left the sessions feeling optimistic and confident. Of course, sometimes circumstances are intractable. There is not a solution to be found but a genuine human compassion. In those instances we would focus on what can be done to offer you emotional relief.

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​Life can be good. You will make it so. ​​

Therapy sessions all day Thursday and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, in person in Chalfont St Giles (near Gerrards Cross) and online across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Fee per session is £100. Approved mental health services provider for Aviva, AXA Health, Cigna Healthcare, General & Medical, Vitality and WPA.

Resources for understanding autistic identity, burnout and masking

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