S4 E1: Bluffing the World: Masking, Vulnerability & Being Seen

Welcome back to Autism, ADHD and Us Three. It's the first episode of Season 4 - can you believe it?! In this episode, Jenny is joined by Daniel Curtis for a wide-ranging conversation about neurodivergence, diagnosis, masking, authenticity and what happens when you finally begin to understand yourself differently. Daniel shares his experience of being diagnosed with ADD and the psychiatrist who told him, very bluntly, that he was “bluffing the world every day”. Rather than simply giving him a diagnosis and sending him on his way, she asked him a much bigger question: now that you know this about yourself, what are you actually going to do differently? This episode explores masking, vulnerability, creativity, parenting neurodivergent children, the emotional impact of diagnosis and why there is no single correct way to process discovering that you are neurodivergent. Jenny and Daniel talk about the fear that can still surround diagnostic labels, why understanding a child’s neurodivergence can help us support them more effectively and the complicated mix of relief, anger, grief and self-understanding that can follow a diagnosis later in life. They also explore why authenticity requires vulnerability, why we often connect more deeply with people who are willing to show their imperfections and how understanding yourself can change the way you move through the world. The conversation turns to purpose, fulfilment and supporting other people through experiences you once had to navigate alone, as Jenny reflects on why so much of her own work comes from wanting other neurodivergent people to feel understood and less alone. At the heart of the conversation is one simple idea: you do not need to have everything figured out. Sometimes you just need to work out what the next right thing is. Useful links Find out more about Daniel Curtis: https://www.danielcurtishq.com/ Join the Reclaim Yourself membership waitlist or check whether doors are open: https://www.audhdistically.me/join-the-membership Work with Jenny, including 1:1 coaching and text coaching options: https://www.audhdistically.me/work-with-me Sign up for Jenny’s weekly Positivity Pause newsletter: https://www.audhdistically.me/get-my-newsletter Buy Jenny’s book: https://amzn.to/4o58FQf Visit Audhdistically Me: https://www.audhdistically.me Follow Jenny on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audhdistically.me Keywords Late diagnosed autism, late diagnosed ADHD, AuDHD, ADD, adult ADHD diagnosis, adult autism diagnosis, neurodivergence, neurodivergent adults, masking, autistic masking, ADHD masking, unmasking, authenticity, vulnerability, self-discovery, neurodivergent identity, self-acceptance, late diagnosis, neurodivergent parenting, parenting autistic children, parenting ADHD children, diagnostic labels, autism diagnosis, ADHD diagnosis, neurodivergent creativity, executive functioning, mental health, personal growth, self-awareness, neurodivergent community, neurodivergent support, resilience, Autism ADHD and Us Three, Audhdistically Me, Daniel Curtis.