Today’s paid partner is BetterHelp, to get 10% off your first month of online therapy with a credentialed therapist head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread In this episode, I sit down with Ellie Middleton — author of Unmasked and How To Be You — to talk about the messy, powerful journey of self-discovery through a late diagnosis of autism and ADHD. From anxiety misdiagnoses and burnout cycles to the pressures of “being normal” and the power of simply understanding yourself, Ellie opens up about it all. We also dive into reading habits, writing under pressure, self-compassion, and learning to be a big brave girl (in the surf). What We Talk AboutThe cycle of burnout and the misdiagnosis of anxiety and depressionEllie’s late diagnosis journey and the “lightbulb” moment in therapyMasking and why “being normal” is so damn exhaustingReading as a neurodivergent person — fiction, nonfiction, and dropping the book snobberyWriting two books in under two years (and nearly breaking herself doing it)Neurodivergent time vs. linear time — and why “spinning out in space” mattersThe power of somatic work, surfing, and getting comfortable looking sillyGendered differences in how autism and ADHD are recognisedInternalised ableism and the fear of being your unmasked selfSelf-compassion as a daily practice, not a one-time fix Links & Resources:Follow Ellie: @elliemidds on Instagram / TikTok / LinkedInFollow the podcast on Instagram: @aneedtoread A Need To Read is partnered with The Breath Space, a online Breath-work education and practise portal that I have been using for the last couple of months, alongside my course to become a breath-work facilitator. To check out how breathwork can help you, follow the link and use the code ED for 50% off your first 2 months. https://courses.thebreathspace.co.uk/your-breath-space-online-membership  You can also support my work by heading to www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread  Any feedback is welcome: [email protected]