The Hidden Cost of Masking

Your definition of normal may look different from someone else’s, and that’s exactly where your truth lives.   In this episode of Someone Gets Me, Dianne A. Allen sits down with Sandy Bean for an honest conversation about masking, its hidden costs, and how many gifted and neurodivergent people may already be paying the price without realizing it. Sandy also shares how growing up as a gifted child shaped her passion for advocating for gifted and twice-exceptional children beyond academic performance.   She also offers tips on navigating grief and overwhelm, explains how radical acceptance can transform the journey, and thoughtfully explores why masking can sometimes be necessary in social settings, even as we learn when and how to lay it down.   Watch the Someone Gets Me Podcast – The Hidden Cost of Masking   Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe to the channel, tap the notification bell, and leave a comment!   You can also listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.   Sandy Bean is a founder, belonging and neurodiversity strategist, educator, and speaker who helps leaders and organizations design cultures where people can think clearly, belong fully, and perform sustainably. Drawing on 20+ years in education and community-building, her work blends systems thinking, psychology, and deeply human insight. She has been featured in Forbes, TEDx, Under 30CEO, Grit Daily, and beyond, and writes a column focused on neurodiversity and belonging for Authority Magazine.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandrajsbean/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-bean-m-ed/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/think_bean/ YouTube: youtube.com/@sandybean?si=hLg0gNPC6ZTtxTEB   Find out more and book her at www.sandybean.com, or reach out directly to [email protected].    How to Connect with Dianne A. Allen   Dianne A. Allen, MA is an intuitive mentor, speaker, author, ambassador, hope agent, life catalyst, and the CEO and Founder of Visions Applied. She has been involved in personal and professional development and mental health and addiction counseling. She inspires people in personal transformation through thought provoking services from speaking and podcasting to individual intuitive mentoring and more. She uses her years of experience coupled with years of formal education to blend powerful, practical, and effective strategies and tools for success and satisfaction. She has authored several books, which include How to Quit Anything in 5 Simple Steps - Break the Chains that Bind You, The Loneliness Cure, A Guide to Contentment, 7 Simple Steps to Get Back on track and Live the Life You Envision, Daily Meditations for Visionary Leaders, Hope Realized, and Where Do You Fit In?   Website: https://msdianneallen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianne_a_allen/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msdianneallen/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianneallen/# Twitter: https://x.com/msdianneallen   Check out Dianne's new book, Care for the Neurodivergent Soul. https://a.co/d/cTBSxQv   Visit Dianne’s Amazon author page. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0F7N457KS   You have a vision inside to create something bigger than you. What you need is a community and a mentor. Personal mentoring will inspire you to grow, transform, and connect in new ways. The Someone Gets Me Experience could be that perfect solution to bringing your heart's desire into reality. You will grow, transform, and connect. https://msdianneallen.com/someone-gets-me-experience/   For a complimentary “Get to Know You” 30-minute call: https://visionsapplied.as.me/schedule.php?appointmentType=4017868   Join our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/someonegetsme   Follow Dianne’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/msdianneallen   Email contact: [email protected]   Dianne’s Mentoring Services: https://msdianneallen.com/