Navigating business ownership as a neurodivergent entrepreneur can be both challenging and empowering, offering independence and autonomy in work life while also requiring constant self-assessment of needs and capacity. In this episode, Patrick Casale talks with Natalia Rivera, a trauma-informed therapist specializing in high-masking Autistic adults, about how late-in-life neurodivergence discovery impacts entrepreneurship and the importance of honoring authentic capacity.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

Capacity isn't fixed: Burnout plays a role in how our energy and cognitive capacity change over time, and it's critical to continually assess and honor those limits as we grow professionally.
Rest is a critical business strategy: Building in downtime, taking restorative breaks, and pausing to reflect are essential, not only for wellbeing but also to create and produce meaningful work sustainably.
Embrace adaptation and outsourcing: Entrepreneurship allows for adaptability. This can look like slowing down, delegating tasks, and shifting business models to align with evolving needs and spiky neurodivergent profiles.

More about Natalia:

Natalia Rivera is a neurodivergent, trauma-informed therapist and clinical psychology intern who specializes in working with high-masking autistic adults. She is EMDR-trained and passionate about helping clients unlearn survival-based identities and reconnect with their authentic selves.

Her doctoral research explores the identity development of high-masking autistic women, and her background as a former English educator informs her love of storytelling, depth, and meaning-making in the therapeutic process. Natalia believes healing is holistic—integrating mind, body, and spirit—and that faith can be a powerful component of psychological growth. She enjoys nature, literature, and time with the people and animals she loves.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/awakentherapysf
Website: https://awakentherapy.org

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Mentioned in this episode:

The Receptionist for iPad

The Receptionist for iPad is a HIPAA-ready digital check-in system that eliminates the need to walk back and forth from your office to the waiting room to see if your next appointment has arrived. Clients or patients can check in for their appointments, and you'll be immediately notified by text, email, or your preferred channel. Break free from interruptions and make the most of your time, because it is valuable. Start a free 14-day trial of the Receptionist for iPad by going to https://thereceptionist.com/privatepractice. Make sure to start your trial with that link to get your first month free if you decide to sign up.