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Live Webinar In Person

The Autism We Miss: Subtle Presentations, Masking, and Misdiagnosis

Nicole Stewart, PhD
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Hybrid Event Notice

Please note that this event will be offered in both in-person and virtual formats. Please select the appropriate registration option based on how you plan to attend.

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Description

This presentation explores very low-support-needs autism, particularly in girls and women whose autistic traits may be subtle, masked, or mistaken for other mental health concerns. Participants will learn how traditional stereotypes of autism contribute to missed and delayed diagnoses, how masking and camouflaging can conceal significant underlying challenges, and why these individuals often accumulate diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, eating disorders, trauma-related disorders, or personality pathology before autism is recognized. The presentation will highlight the clinical and emotional costs of misidentification, including chronic exhaustion, autistic burnout, ineffective treatment, and negative self-concept. Through practical examples and differential-diagnostic considerations, mental health professionals will learn to look beyond observable social competence and consider the effort, strategies, and internal cost required to maintain it, ultimately improving identification, case conceptualization, and treatment for autistic individuals who have historically been overlooked.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify at least three ways autism may present differently in individuals with very low support needs, particularly girls and women, compared with more traditional or stereotypical presentations of autism.

  • Differentiate at least two features of autism from commonly overlapping or misattributed conditions, including anxiety, ADHD, OCD, trauma-related disorders, eating disorders, and personality pathology.

  • Apply at least two developmentally informed interview questions and assessment strategies that help identify subtle autistic characteristics during clinical evaluation.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this workshop is to enhance participants' understanding of subtle and highly masked presentations of autism, particularly in girls and women, and to equip them with practical strategies for recognizing overlooked autistic traits, improving differential diagnosis, and delivering treatment that reflects underlying neurodevelopmental needs.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Nurse
  • Physician
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Nicole Stewart, PhD
Dr. Nicole Stewart, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist in Utah with over 25 years of experience in clinical assessment and public education. She earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Educational Psychology from the University of Utah, where she specialized in behavior management strategies and interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Since 2016, Dr. Stewart has maintained a private practice specializing in psychological and neurodevelopmental evaluations for children, adolescents, and young adults, while frequently presenting on neurodiversity, masking, and female autism phenotypes.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Ascent Behavioral Health