Navigating Autistic Meltdowns, Shutdowns, and Burnout

This stop on the Autistic Liberation Tour is all about the truth we’re rarely allowed to name: meltdowns, shutdowns, and burnout are not failures—they’re survival.

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?

In this 2.5-hour in-person seminar and discussion, I’ll guide us through what these states really mean—physiologically, emotionally, systemically—and how we can begin to understand them as information, not pathology. Together, we’ll explore how to unlearn the shame, meet our nervous systems where they actually are, and stop chasing recovery narratives that only make us feel worse.

If you’ve ever felt like you were too much, not enough, or somehow both at once—this space is for you. Whether you’re deep in burnout or just trying to make sense of your past, you’ll leave with more language, more clarity, and more tools to name what’s happening inside you without apology.

Let’s stop pretending we’re fine—and start telling the truth.

The seminar will be held on Saturday, January 17 2026 from 19:00 - 21:30 and is part lecture, part discussion - clear teaching with real dialogue that centers autistic experience. Afterward, we keep the space open for optional social time for as long as people want to stay. This is as much about community as content - many of us don’t have local, autistic-affirming spaces and end up only online. Here we gather offline in an autistic-friendly room built by us for us: stimming welcome, pacing respected, no performance required.

For those purchasing Deep Dive Circle tickets, there will be a smaller, more intimate in-person discussion circle held the next day on Sunday, January 18, 2026 from 14:00 - 16:00.

Our venue is fully physically accessible, centrally located in the East End, close to public transport and rail links from throughout the country, quiet, and with soft lighting. If you have any specific access needs, please reach out.

There are multiple ticket tiers available because I know that many of us disabled people are navigating deep financial precarity. I want this seminar to be available 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 through free offerings and sliding-scale spaces all year round. If you’re not in a position to pay right now, you’re still welcome at the seminar with open arms. Please email me to request a free ticket—no explanation needed, no barriers, no shame. While free tickets can’t be guaranteed, every possible effort will be made to accommodate everyone.

I want to give as many free tickets as possible. That’s the goal. But this tour has real costs—venues, travel, support—and I’m also a disabled person making this happen. The more people who are able to pay at the higher tiers, the more free spaces I’ll be able to offer. That’s why there are both supporter and deep dive ticket options: they make the whole thing more sustainable. And for those somewhere in between, low-cost community tickets are available too.

If you choose a Deep Dive Circle ticket, you’ll join me and a small group the day after the seminar for a quieter, more intimate session. This gatherings are 2 hours long and food and drinks will be served. It’s not a Q&A or a coaching session—it’s a space to slow down, reflect together on the autistic experience of life, and connect beyond the crowd. If you’ve wanted to sit with me in person and explore these ideas more deeply, this could be a great opportunity.

Looking forward to learning with you!