My Depression & Anxiety Was Actually Autistic Burnout: Reflections of Growing Up Undiagnosed, Late-Diagnosis and Parenting Neurodivergent Children. An Interview with Carrie Kearns.

Mind Vox

Carrie Kearns is a Veterinary CPD Tutor and Student Hypnotherapist and Counsellor.

They were a Pet Bereavement Counsellor for 22 years and are currently training as a Hypnotherapist.

Carrie has two children and is a late diagnosed Autistic who uses They/Them pronouns.

They were misdiagnosed with depression and anxiety before getting an Autism diagnosis, and their experience within the mental health system inspired them to now train as a counsellor.

Carrie talks about their late diagnosis journey, why they think functioning labels can be harmful and their experience of the mental health system, both diagnosed and undiagnosed.

This episode explores:

-Carrie’s misdiagnosis of depression and anxiety, which was actually Autism and ADHD, and their experience of burnout.

-How Carrie got through burnout and the work they’ve done to reduce future burnouts.

-The abuse and struggles Carrie dealt with throughout their life.

-Carrie’s late-diagnosis journey and how they’ve dealt with it.

-Why Carrie feels functional labels can be harmful.

-Carrie’s views on the mental health support offered in this country and how it could be improved for Autistics.

-Why Carrie decided to train in Hypnotherapy.

-The ways Carrie adjusted their parenting to meet their son’s Autistic needs, and their (suspected neurodivergent) daughter’s too.

-Autistic Meltdowns, Shutdowns and Burnouts- the differences between them and how Carrie manages them.

-Challenges Carrie has faced with trying to get their daughter assessed for Autism and ADHD, when she doesn’t present stereotypically.

*Trigger Warning*

Contains conversation about Physical and Mental Health Conditions, Trauma, Stress, Anxiety, Autism, ADHD, Abuse, Bullying, 17q12 Duplication Syndrome, Suicidal Ideation and Attempts, OCD, Dyslexia, Medications, RSD, Pet Bereavement and Aphantasia.

Links

To donate the price of a coffee to help the pod, find the CashApp, Paypal and BuyMeACoffee options on our Linktree in our bio.

To send us ideas for future episodes, or offer to be interviewed, please contact us via Instagram or email [e-mail]

Your host, Claire, can be found on Instagram, TikTok and via her website Single Parent Pessimist.

Music by Lesfm from Pixabay.

The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills can be found here.

Samantha Craft’s Autistic Traits List can be found here.

Carrie’s podcast is called All Creatures Great and Gone and can be found on most platforms.

If you want to volunteer for Carrie while they train in Hypnotherapy, email [e-mail]

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