Welcome back to Autism, ADHD and Us Three. In this community Q&A episode, Jenny answers 10 questions sent in by listeners and Instagram followers about late-diagnosed autism, ADHD and AuDHD identity. This is the final episode of Season 3 as the podcast will be taking its summer break in July and August.

This episode explores the huge emotional reckoning that can come after diagnosis or self-discovery, including identity confusion, masking, self-diagnosis, exhaustion, executive dysfunction, relationships, friendships and redefining success on your own terms.

Jenny talks about why self-diagnosis is valid, why you are not lazy, why masking can be so hard to untangle and how late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults can begin building lives that actually respect their nervous systems, energy and needs.

If you have ever wondered who you are now, whether you have made it all up, why you are so tired or what success even looks like anymore, this episode is for you.

• Who am I now and who have I been?
• Why diagnosis can make your whole life reorganise itself
• Why self-diagnosis and self-discovery are valid
• Why exhaustion is not laziness
• The invisible energy cost of masking, sensory processing and executive function
• How to challenge the lazy script in your head
• What masking actually is and how to start spotting it
• Why relationships can shift after diagnosis
• How to get things done with poor executive function
• Body doubling, timers, rituals and externalising your memory
• How to build a life that respects your AuDHD needs
• Redefining success after late diagnosis

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Useful linksJoin 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:
Keywords

Late diagnosed autism, late diagnosed ADHD, AuDHD, autistic ADHD adults, neurodivergent women, self-diagnosis, autistic self-discovery, ADHD self-discovery, masking, unmasking, executive dysfunction, autistic burnout, ADHD burnout, neurodivergent exhaustion, self-acceptance, neurodivergent identity, adult autism diagnosis, adult ADHD diagnosis, AuDHD relationships, neurodivergent friendships, sensory overload, late diagnosed AuDHD women, autistic women, ADHD women, Reclaim Yourself membership, Audhdistically Me, Autism ADHD and Us Three.

If you are parenting a disabled or neurodivergent child and sometimes feel like the world was not built with your family in mind, this episode will land.

In this episode of Autism, ADHD and Us Three, Jenny sits down with Dana Garrett to talk about parenting, advocacy, communication, community, and the very real emotional load of caring for a child with additional needs.

Dana shares her experience as the mother of a mostly non-verbal daughter, and opens up about everything from diagnosis and communication differences to sibling dynamics, self-care, and the power of creating stories that help children feel seen.

Together, they explore how behaviour is often communication, why caregivers need support too, and how inclusive books and communities can make life feel less isolating for families navigating disability and neurodivergence.

Inside this episode:

• Communication beyond words, including AAC, sign language, gestures, and behaviour
• Why behaviour is often communication, not defiance
• The reality of parenting a non-verbal child
• Supporting siblings of neurodivergent and disabled children
• Why caregiver self-care is essential, not selfish
• The importance of community, shared understanding, and safe spaces
• How inclusive children’s books can build empathy, acceptance, and confidence

This is a warm, honest conversation about advocacy, resilience, and the need for families like ours to feel held, understood, and less alone.

🎧 Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dana Garrett
01:40 Early Development and Diagnosis of Elena
05:26 Communication Beyond Words
09:42 Understanding Behavior as Communication
12:12 Advocacy and Navigating Social Situations
13:34 The Journey of Self-Publishing Children's Books
17:44 Supporting Siblings of Neurodivergent Children
20:46 Creating Inclusive Stories
24:03 The Importance of Community
27:29 Self-Care Strategies for Caregivers
33:21 Upcoming Retreats and Workshops for Caregivers

💛 Connect with Dana Garrett

Author website:
https://danagarrett.com

Rare Blooms Foundation:
https://rarebloomsfoundation.org

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/danagarrett/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/danagarrett/

💫 Resources Mentioned

Elena and Wyatt's Adventures on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Elena+and+Wyatt%27s+Adventures

Self-love journals for caregivers on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=self-love+journals+for+caregivers

Breathe: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VJX4V4X

Coherent Breathing Technique:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6362514/

💛 Work With Me & Next Steps

New here? Start here:
https://welcome.audhdistically.me/start-here

Sign up for The Positivity Pause newsletter:
https://www.audhdistically.me

Connect with me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/audhdistically.me

Hello lovely humans, and welcome back to another episode of Autism, ADHD and Us Three. If you’re new here, I’m so glad you’ve found us. And if you’re a regular listener, thank you for being part of this space 💜

If you enjoy the podcast, it would mean the world if you could leave a quick review. It helps more people find these conversations and feel a little less alone.

In this episode, I’m joined by Yenn Purkis, an autistic and ADHD advocate, author of 18 books, TEDx speaker and PhD candidate. We talk about how Yenn was unexpectedly pulled into advocacy, and the moment that shifted everything for them. From there, we explore the realities of being visible, the impact of deficit-based narratives around autism, and why so many common assumptions about autistic people are still so harmful.

We also dive into gender identity, inclusion, and what it really means to stand up and be seen in a world that doesn’t always feel safe to do so.

This conversation is honest, thoughtful and at times challenging, but also incredibly grounding for anyone navigating identity, late diagnosis, advocacy or burnout.

• ​How Yenn found themselves in advocacy and what changed their direction
• ​The impact of deficit-based messaging on autistic people
• ​Why visibility and representation matter so much
• ​The truth about “functioning labels” and why they’re often misunderstood
• ​Navigating identity, including gender diversity and autism
• ​Dealing with criticism, pushback and online spaces
• ​Burnout, work and creating a life that actually fits
• ​Autism diagnosis should mean liberation
• ​Visibility is vital for change
• ​Functioning labels are not diagnoses

00:00 Introduction to advocacy and autistic identity

01:34 The journey into advocacy

04:54 Writing as a tool for change

10:37 The evolution of public speaking

15:26 Changing perspectives on neurodiversity

19:39 Balancing advocacy and academia

20:36 Embracing passion and overcoming adversity

24:50 Redefining work and income streams

28:05 Identity and advocacy in the non-binary and asexual community

32:11 Navigating pushback and promoting visibility

34:52 Debunking myths about autism

41:51 Future aspirations and life philosophy

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You can find Yenn and their work here:

Website https://www.yennpurkis.com

Books on Amazon*https://amzn.to/4dg03Eg

If something in this episode resonated with you, I’d love you to share it with someone who might need to hear it too. And if you want more conversations like this, you can follow along wherever you listen to your podcasts.

*Affiliate links are used in these show notes.