Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Across ADHD and Autism
Clinical Tools for Emotion Dysregulation, Masking, Shame and More in Neurodivergent Clients
- Speaker:
- Brandon Browne, LPC
- Duration:
- Full Day
- Product Code:
- LWC151006
- Brochure Code:
- PWZ96582
- Media Type:
- Live Webinar
Description
- How rejection sensitivity presents across ADHD and autism
- Improve diagnostic clarity and reduce misdiagnosis
- Assess and treat rejection-triggered emotional dysregulation
- Interventions to strengthen validation and therapeutic alliance
- Tools for masking, shame, and chronic rejection experiences
Chest tightening when someone’s tone shifts. Shame and obsessing over a comment made three days ago. Replaying conversations endlessly. The exhaustion of trying to be perfect.
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is one of today’s most talked about presentations in neurodivergent care.
And if you work with clients with ADHD and Autism you need to be prepared to identify and treat it.
But here’s the thing, RSD is widely misunderstood and frequently misdiagnosed. Not only is it difficult to differentiate from other conditions like borderline, trauma, depression, or social anxiety …
… treating it isn’t easy as you work through shame, rage, shutdowns, masking, people-pleasing and more.
That’s exactly why we’re bringing you this training with Brandon Browne, LPC, co-author of The Whole Self ADHD Guide: Cultivating Focus, Connection, and Joy. Brandon has years of experience helping clients overcome RSD and has trained countless clinicians on how to do the same.
In just one day, he’ll give you a complete framework and clinical toolbox for assessing and treating Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria across ADHD and autism spectrum.
You’ll leave ready to:
- Accurately distinguish RSD from borderline, trauma, depression, and social anxiety
- Teach emotion regulation skills tailored to the neurodivergent brain
- Use attachment-based interventions to process relational wounds and chronic rejection experiences
- Apply CBT strategies for rejection-triggered thinking patterns and rejection anxiety
- Help clients overcome shame, rage, and perfectionism
Your next client with RSD could walk in tomorrow. Be ready.
Credit
Speaker
Brandon Browne, LPC Related seminars and products
Brandon Browne, LPC, is the owner and clinical director of Mind & Body Christian Health Group in Kennesaw, Georgia. A licensed professional counselor since 2009 and a certified PEERS® for Adolescents provider, Brandon has devoted his career to helping individuals, couples, and families navigate life’s challenges with resilience and compassion. His clinical expertise includes ADHD, autism spectrum presentations, trauma, marriage and relational dynamics, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, with a focus on integrative approaches that address both mental and physical health.
In addition to his clinical work, Brandon is a seasoned workshop presenter and podcast guest, known for making complex mental health topics accessible and practical for clinicians. From 2009 to 2015, he served in youth and counseling leadership at Eagle’s Landing Christian Counseling and has since continued to lead a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals at Mind & Body Christian Health Group. He is the co-author of The Whole Self ADHD Guide: Cultivating Focus, Connection, and Joy (with Brittany Browne) and the author of Mind & Body: Christian Health Group Therapy Guide.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Brandon Browne has an employment relationship with Mind & Body Christian Health Group, LLC. He receives royalties as a published author. Brandon Bowne receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Brandon Browne is a member of the American Counseling Association and the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia.
Additional Info
Access Period for Live WebcastYou will have access for 90 days after the program for review. For live CE credit, you must watch the live webcast in its entirety at its scheduled time and complete the CE quiz and evaluation within one week. Please note that this requirement may vary by credit type. Please see detailed credit information for specific requirements for each credit type.
Webcast Schedule
Please note: There will be a 70-minute lunch and two 15-minute breaks; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lunch and break times will be announced by the speaker and at their discretion. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.
Questions?
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Objectives
- Define the core features and clinical relevance of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD).
- Identify clinical strategies, including screening, psychoeducation, and validation, that improve diagnostic accuracy of RSD, reduce misdiagnosis, and strengthen therapeutic alliance.
- Examine how Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) uniquely manifests in autistic clients, including the roles of masking, chronic misunderstanding, and heightened suicidality.
- Apply theoretical models of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) to clinical case formulation and assess differential diagnoses with overlapping conditions, including Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, depression, and social anxiety.
- Use multimethod approaches, including clinical interviews, collateral history, and observational strategies to assess clients for Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD).
- Utilize evidence-informed interventions for Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), including psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral strategies, emotion regulation skills, attachment-based approaches, and family/systemic work, to tailor treatment to client needs.
Outline
Foundations of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)
- Clinical foundations of RSD and distinguishing from general rejection sensitivity
- Core characteristics including intense emotional dysphoria, shame, rage, and withdrawal
- Functional impairments and common clinical red flags
- Diagnostic challenges and risks of misdiagnosis
- Case conceptualization and reflection through clinical vignettes
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in ADHD
- Prevalence and neurobiological underpinnings
- Developmental presentations across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood
- Functional impacts in school, work, relationships, and self-esteem
- Differentiating from impulsivity, oppositionality, and borderline personality disorder
- Screening strategies and psychoeducation approaches
- Validation techniques to strengthen therapeutic alliance
- Case examples demonstrating reframing and diagnostic clarity
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in Autism
- How social communication differences contribute
- Sensory and emotional reactivity
- Presentations including shutdowns, withdrawal, and masking
- Differentiating RSD from trauma, social anxiety, and mood disorders
- Suicide risk considerations in autistic clients experiencing RSD
- Screening questions and observable clinical red flags
- Tailored interventions including validation, psychoeducation, and systems support
- Case examples involving autistic children and adults
Theoretical Models and Differential Diagnosis of RSD
- Case conceptualization and clinical assessment
- Rejection sensitivity theory and chronic expectation of rejection
- Emotional dysregulation models in ADHD-related RSD
- Neurobiological models involving dopamine and limbic system activation
- Attachment and social-cognitive theories of rejection sensitivity
- Differential diagnosis strategies for improving diagnostic accuracy
- Clinical interviews, self-report tools, collateral history, and journaling
- Case examples
Assessment and Screening of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
- The absence of formal DSM™ criteria and standardized assessment tools
- Use clinical formulation and client narratives in assessment
- Core clinical interview domains for identifying rejection-triggered dysphoria
- The importance of collateral information from family, teachers, and partners
- Screening questions related to triggers, intensity, duration, and coping behaviors
- Observational strategies including alliance ruptures and emotional reactions
- Adapt emotional regulation scales and journaling tools for RSD assessment
- Ethical considerations related to stigma and misdiagnosis
- Case examples demonstrating the value of careful screening
Interventions and Clinical Application for RSD
- Psychoeducation and normalization approaches that reduce shame
- Cognitive-behavioral strategies for rejection-triggered thinking patterns
- Emotion regulation skills including mindfulness, grounding, and distress tolerance
- Attachment-based interventions and rupture repair strategies
- Medication considerations including stimulants and alpha-agonists
- Tailor interventions for ADHD versus autism presentations
- Developmental and cultural considerations in treatment planning
- Family, school, and workplace systems interventions
- Case examples applying interventions across child and adult populations
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Clinical Social Workers
- Marriage & Family Therapists
- Psychologists
- Registered Psychotherapists
- School Counselors
- Case Managers
- Behavioral Health Professionals
- Other Mental Health Clinicians
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