Episode 16 - Queering Internal Family Systems (IFS) - Discrimination Burnout

Discrimination Burnout and the Stress of Non-Events

Not all discrimination announces itself. Sometimes it's the thing that didn't happen: the job that went to someone else, the room that went quiet, the invitation that never came. In this episode Jude and Alessio look at discrimination burnout, and specifically at how the weight of these non-events accumulates in neurodivergent and queer systems.

They explore minority stress theory, the particular exhaustion of hypervigilance, and the way self-blame can move in when there's nothing concrete to point to. Alessio draws on personal experience, and the conversation moves into what it might look like to find ground again, including through writing and advocacy.

Useful context: Burnout vs autistic burnout explained at Embrace Autism

00:00 Introduction to Discrimination Burnout

03:03 Defining Discrimination Burnout and Non-Event Stress

07:46 Impact of Non-Event Stress and Unconscious Bias

12:39 Understanding Burnout in Neurodivergent Individuals

17:34 Self-Blame and Minority Stress

22:58 Resilience and Advocacy through Writing

29:32 Conclusion and Call to Action

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