Masking in Autistic Adults: A Clinician’s Guide to Responsive Care

This book, written by an autistic psychologist specializing in assessing neurodivergent adults, seeks to transform how clinicians understand and support autistic adults with high-masking presentations.

As a member of the autistic community, I am deeply committed to increasing the quality of life for autistic individuals. The frequent stories of mistreatment, dismissal, and misunderstanding by healthcare professionals that I hear from clients are not just troubling—they’re a call to action. I’m determined to change this narrative by enhancing the quality of healthcare support that autistic adults receive.

My personal journey of discovering I’m autistic at age 29 parallels the broader challenges faced by many high-masking autistic adults in receiving appropriate care. This experience, combined with my professional expertise, allows me to offer a unique “insider-outsider” perspective that not only fills a critical gap in existing literature but also challenges prevailing clinical assumptions about autism and high-masking presentations.

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Get updates on the book’s progress:

  • I’m publishing through Routledge/Taylor & Francis and am still in the ‘writing’ phase (release date ~late 2025 or early 2026).

    The book is structured into three sections:

    1. Foundational Knowledge: The first section provides concise foundational knowledge about autism, with a focus on high-masking presentations.

    2. Building Connections: This section discusses how clinicians can apply this knowledge to build safe, meaningful therapeutic connections with autistic clients.

    3. Clinical Applications: The (extensive) final section covers how autism intersects with various mental health challenges such as emotional health, autistic burnout, complex trauma, anxiety, and co-occurring conditions.

    Through this structure, the book equips healthcare professionals with the necessary tools to provide more effective support and accurate diagnoses, enhancing the quality of life for autistic adults. It serves as a comprehensive resource for those seeking to better understand and support the diverse needs of autistic individuals.