Behind the Mask: Understanding Anxiety, Perfectionism, and Masking in 2e Kids

Why is your bright, capable child so hard on themselves—or so exhausted after school? Why do they seem fine on the outside but melt down at home? Many twice-exceptional (2e) kids feel enormous pressure to “pass” as neurotypical, to meet their potential, and to hide the parts of themselves that feel different. The result? Anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout.

In this candid and compassionate talk, therapist and autism coach Rainn Stone and neurodivergent educator Jamie Roberts will unpack the hidden struggles behind masking and perfectionism in 2e children. Drawing from lived experience and years of working with neurodivergent youth and families, Rainn and Jamie will help parents understand what’s really going on beneath the surface—and how to respond with support, not shame.

Parents will walk away with:

• A deeper understanding of how anxiety and masking show up in 2e learners

• Tools to help kids reduce perfectionistic thinking and self-criticism

• Strategies to create safer, more authentic spaces for your child—at home and school

This session offers both insight and hope for anyone raising a 2e child who’s trying hard to hold it all together.

Jamie Roberts (she/her) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who identifies as NeuroQueer and actively shares about her later in life diagnosis of Autism & ADHD. Jamie is the founder of Equilibrium Counseling Services, a teen and young adult mental health center where all identities and brains are celebrated. In 2024, she founded NeuroPebble as a central location to provide neurodivergent affirming and educational training. She is the author of the book Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety, and is an active speaker on Neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+ and Teen topics.

This event will be recorded and emailed to all RSVPs.

NEW This event will have live Spanish translation.