Navigating Autistic Meltdowns, Shutdowns, and Burnout

Too often, autistic people are told to “regulate better,” “try harder,” or stay calm for everyone else’s comfort. But what if your shutdown wasn’t weakness? What if your meltdown wasn’t shameful? What if your burnout wasn’t your fault?

This stop on the Autistic Liberation Tour focuses on the three states that many of us know too well: autistic burnout, shutdown, and meltdown. These aren’t signs of failure—they’re signals from our bodyminds that something isn’t working. They’re survival strategies. And they deserve to be understood, not judged.

In this 2.5-hour in-person seminar and discussion, we’ll explore what these experiences really are—emotionally, physiologically, and systemically. We’ll talk about how autistic burnout often goes unseen, how shutdown can be mistaken for withdrawal, and how meltdowns carry unnecessary shame. More importantly, we’ll talk about how to listen to these states as information—not pathology—and begin to respond to them with compassion and clarity.

Whether you’re currently in burnout or just beginning to unpack your history, you’ll leave with language, insight, and tools to better understand what’s happening inside you.

Let’s stop pathologizing our nervous systems—and start telling the truth.

The seminar will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2026, from 19:00 – 21:30, followed by an optional social hour at the venue.

For those purchasing Deep Dive Circle tickets, a smaller, more intimate in-person discussion group will take place on Sunday, February 15, 2026, from 14:00 – 16:00.

The venue location will be announced soon. It will be fully physically accessible, quiet, softly lit (no fluorescent lighting), and easily reachable by public transit. If you have specific access needs, please get in touch.

There are multiple ticket tiers available because I know that many of us—especially disabled people—are navigating deep financial precarity. I want this space to be open to as many people as possible.

If you’re able to pay more, your ticket directly funds someone else’s attendance and supports the work I do—not just on tour, but year-round through free resources and sliding-scale events. If you’re not in a position to pay, you’re still welcome with open arms. Please email me to request a free ticket—no explanation needed. While free tickets can’t be guaranteed, I will do everything I can to accommodate.

I want to give as many free tickets as possible. But this tour has real costs—venues, travel, support—and I’m also a disabled person putting this together. The more people who can pay at higher tiers, the more free and low-cost tickets I can offer. That’s why there are supporter and Deep Dive Circle options. And for those somewhere in between, affordable community tickets are available too.

If you choose a Deep Dive Circle ticket, you’ll join me and a small group the next day for a quieter, more intimate 2-hour gathering. Food and drinks will be provided. This isn’t a Q&A or coaching session—it’s a space to slow down, reflect, and connect beyond the seminar.

We build access together. Always.