Unmasking ADHD Workshop

As an adult with ADHD you are likely exhausted from pretending to be ‘normal,’ desperate to remove the false masks so your energy can be better spent… But where do you start when you don’t know which parts of your personality are the mask and which are your true self?

The cognitive load of camouflaging into the norm means you suppress the things that mark you as ADHD, like fidgeting/doodling, sitting still, blurting stuff out in conversation, being too loud, trying to not get too excited about things or having too many ideas and passions. Put simply, wearing a mask that means you are not yourself, is immense and exhausting.

We live in a neurotypical world and as a person with ADHD, you have had consistent feedback that your natural way of being is not ‘OK.’ This feedback may have come in direct forms like “Stop fidgeting” or “Why haven’t you cleaned your room, you are a slob/lazy.” Or it may have been more subtle, like a slight frown or confused look when you excitedly shared your insight or idea. For most people with ADHD, it is a combination, resulting in shifts and changes within your psyche, altering your behaviour to look like you are the same as everyone else… But no matter how well you change your behaviour, it is still a mask and with every year that passes, it takes more and more effort to cope and function until eventually you burn out and just can’t do it anymore.

The solution is to take off the masks you no longer want, while consciously wearing and balancing the ones you choose with self care. But first you must know what the masks are and why they are there. Without clarity you will likely struggle to excavate your beautiful, authentic self from the complex, sticky masks that have formed around you.

If the words above are resonating with your situation, I would like to invite you to join the Unmasking ADHD workshop on the 15th September, 2023. 

In this workshop we will be working together using Creative Therapy techniques to understand ADHD masking, including the causes and how it is impacting your ability to live a fulfilling life.

This program is particularly helpful for late diagnosed neurodivergent men and women or those who have recently recognised for themselves that they are neurodivergent (ie you do NOT need an official diagnosis and may be wanting to explore what it would mean for you).  

Location

1a/3 Pritchard St O’Conner

Walk down the drive and go up the metal staircase.

There is plenty of free parking on the road or across the road in the car park.

What to bring & wear