We live in a culture that rightly values deep feeling, sensitivity, and compassion. Terms like ‘empath’ and ‘Highly Sensitive Person’ have given many people a language to validate their intense emotional experiences. However, an important conversation is often missed in mainstream discussions: what happens when feeling everything actually gets in the way of genuinely showing up for others?

Most Autistics in the world today are adults, undiagnosed, and without intellectual or language impairment. In fact, 80% of those born female remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed by the time they reach 18 years of age —as do many other internalised presentations including males, trans & non-binary folx, people of colour, those living in stigmatising cultural or religious communities, LGBTQIA+ peeps, and those without means and access to systemic gatekeeping services.