Question 1

What is masking and why does it cause burnout?

Accepted Answer

Masking is suppressing autistic or ADHD traits to fit in — forcing eye contact, scripting conversations, performing neurotypicality all day. It is energy-intensive and leads to exhaustion and burnout, especially when teens hold it together at school and collapse at home.

Question 2

Do I need a diagnosis to start therapy here?

Accepted Answer

No. Formal diagnosis is welcome but not required. Many teens we work with are still exploring. You just need to be someone whose brain works differently and who wants support.

Question 3

What can therapy help with for autistic and ADHD teens?

Accepted Answer

Burnout, anxiety, sensory overload, school stress, identity questions, masking fatigue, friendship challenges, setting limits with others, and communicating what you need.

Question 4

Is what I say in therapy confidential?

Accepted Answer

Almost everything. Day-to-day content stays between you and your therapist. The few legal exceptions involve immediate safety concerns. Your therapist will explain all of this clearly at the start.

Question 5

What is neuro-informed therapy?

Accepted Answer

Therapy where your therapist understands that your brain works differently — not defectively. They work with sensory overload, masking, shutdowns, and processing differences rather than trying to make you appear neurotypical.

Question 6

My teen refuses therapy. What can I do?

Accepted Answer

Do not force it — pressure makes it harder for most autistic and ADHD teens. Share what therapy here actually looks like: casual, video-based, no performance required. Parent consultations are available to help.

Question 7

Do you offer support for parents of autistic teens?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our sister practice Parenting Autism Therapy Center at parentingautismtherapycenter.com specializes in parents of autistic and ADHD children and teens.

Question 8

Are there free self-discovery tools for teens?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our Self-Discovery page at teensunmask.com/self-discovery has free tools to help you put language to your experience before committing to anything.

Question 9

Does therapy require a prior formal assessment?

Accepted Answer

No. Therapy is a useful first step for most teens regardless of diagnosis status. For ages 18 and up, Adult Autism Assessment Center at adult-autism-assessment.com offers formal assessments if needed.

Question 10

How long are sessions and where do they happen?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are 50 minutes, one on one, via secure video. You can join from wherever you feel safe — your room, a car, anywhere private.

TEENS

Therapy for Autistic Teens

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Hey! I’m Cassie—I help people get started here.