FREE TO BE ME

Before you explore

Acknowledgement of Country

Sovereignty was never ceded. No treaty was ever signed. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters on which this work is made, and that does not become less true with time, legislation or silence.

FREE 2B ME acknowledges Elders past, present and emerging. This body of work exists because systems cause harm when they ask people to become easier to accommodate. No community in this country has been asked to do that more often, or for longer, than First Nations peoples.

We hold that as a matter of practice, not sentiment.

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FREE 2B ME · Professional learning

Behind the Mask

Identity, Safety and Authenticity in Practice

Your client says they’re fine. How do you know what they really need?

Who it’s for: counsellors, psychologists, social workers and allied health professionals supporting autistic and other neurodivergent people.

For the sessions that leave you wondering

They turn up. They say they’re okay. But you’re not sure you’re getting the full picture.

Your client is friendly, prepared and able to get through the session. They tell you things are going well. But later you hear they were exhausted, overwhelmed or struggling far more than you realised.

You want to understand what’s happening without pushing them to share more than they want to. You also want to know how to make it easier for them to tell you when something isn’t working.

  • Your client says yes to the plan, but later says they couldn’t do it or didn’t feel able to disagree.
  • You find out how hard they’ve been working to get through each day, and wonder how you missed it.
  • You want to ask better questions without assuming you know what your client is feeling.
  • You have heard about masking, but want to know what it means for your work with clients.

There is another place to start

Learn to look beyond how someone appears.

Behind the Mask explores why some autistic people hide or adjust parts of themselves to fit in or feel safer. Learn how to talk about the effort involved, listen to your client’s experience and support their choices about what they share.

What could be different in your practice?

When you return to work, the aim is to help you:

  • Start conversations about hidden effort without assuming you know how your client feels.
  • Ask about life outside the appointment so the support you offer better reflects their experience.
  • Make it easier for a client to disagree, ask for help or say when a plan does not fit.
  • Discuss masking and identity with care while letting the person decide what they want to share.
  • Record what the person tells you clearly, without presenting guesses as facts.

In your next session

A client tells you they are fine, but later describes being exhausted after appointments. You can ask about the effort involved, listen to their account and discuss what might make future sessions work better for them.

What you’ll explore

  • What masking can look like and how autistic people describe it
  • Why someone might hide or adjust parts of themselves
  • The effort of preparing, getting through the day and recovering afterwards
  • Late identification and making sense of identity
  • Safety, belonging, culture and deciding whether to disclose
  • How masking can affect conversations and the working relationship
  • Supporting someone’s choices without expecting them to unmask
  • Writing about what a person tells you without making assumptions

A client doesn’t have to tell you everything. They do deserve a space where they can tell you what matters to them.

Who this is for

For counsellors, psychologists, social workers, allied health practitioners and other professionals who support autistic and neurodivergent people. Apply the learning within your own role and professional scope.