Did You Know There’s Such a Thing as Therapy Burnout?

by | Jun 17, 2025

So many parents raising autistic children feel like they have to show up to therapy every single week without missing a beat — no matter how tired, overwhelmed, or unwell they feel. But let’s be real… we’re human. And so are our kids.

Sometimes we’re exhausted.
Sometimes they are.
And sometimes… we just don’t want to go.

Here are a few really important reasons why therapy burnout happens — for both parents and kids:

  • Getting your child into the car and out the door can feel like climbing Mount Everest — especially when they’re not regulated.
  • If you are in a constant state of fight-or-flight, it’s almost impossible to take in what the therapist is saying or implement it meaningfully at home.
  • You’re managing so much — work, school, meltdowns, sensory issues, appointments — it can be completely overwhelming.
  • Your child might not be engaging in therapy or taking in anything at all… and it can start to feel like you’re going through the motions.

The truth is: mums can burn out from therapy — and so can our kids.

And here’s the thing no one says out loud: it’s okay to take a break.
In fact, it’s vital.

You need time to pause.
To breathe.
To rest.
To reset.

You’ll get so much more out of therapy when you return feeling grounded, rested, and ready — rather than pushing through on empty.

You are not failing your child by missing a session.
You are honouring your humanity.
And that matters more than any appointment.

We need to reset in order to come back stronger — for them and for us.

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Podcast Episode #35:  Supporting the Language Journey with Donnalea Duffy

This week I had the opportunity to chat with Donnalea Duffy a Paediatric Speech Pathologist with 30 years experience working with children and young adults to support their speech, language and social skills.

The majority of her clients are neurodiverse and they have helped her to evolve in the way she delivers her service to her clients, their families and significant others.

In our conversation we spoke about:

▶️ How can a parent begin the process of navigating the process of providing therapy to someone who is non speaking
▶️ Is verbal communication the aim for every client?
▶️ Does augmentative communication AAC stop a person from being verbal?
▶️ Can augmentative communication be used in only one environment?
▶️ Should echolalia and gestalts be regarded as a valid way of communicating?

To listen to the podcast episode, click here.

💻 If you’re feeling exactly like the way I used to feel and you’re wanting to feel like your vibrant self again,
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