In this episode, Steph shares the heart behind her new resource on autistic burnout, created after noticing how many people are quietly approaching exhaustion.
She explores what autistic burnout really is: a state of profound, long-term nervous system depletion caused by chronic environmental mismatch, masking, sensory overload, and the cumulative labour of navigating neuronormative systems. Through an occupational therapy lens, burnout is reframed not as failure, but as a signal that something in the current way of living is unsustainable.
Steph discusses common signs of burnout, the burnout cycle, and why recovery can feel overwhelming, especially when even "rest" feels unsafe. She introduces gentle, practical strategies for prevention and recovery, including radical demand reduction, recalibrating baseline capacity, and her "Urgency to Safety Bridge", a visual framework for moving from high-alert survival states toward safety, even by just 1–10%.
If you've been feeling depleted, this episode offers validation, reframes around productivity and worth, and small, compassionate steps toward sustainable living.
The full workbook resource, along with a podcast listener discount, is linked below.
Get the Resource: https://www.sgroccupationaltherapy.com/Autistic-Burnout-Resource
Use code PODCAST to get 15% off
Check out the Embracing You course: https://www.sgroccupationaltherapy.com/embracing-you-course
The code PODCAST will also get you 15% off the course too!
Connect with Steph:
www.sgroccupationaltherapy.com
Email: hello@sgroccupationaltherapy.com
Come and join us on the socials:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sgroccupationaltherapy/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SGROccupationalTherapy
Facebook group- The Neurodiversity Empowerment Movement
