Supporting neurodivergent clients with rejection sensitivity
Healing the pain, building safety and deepening connections
Rejection sensitivity can be an overwhelming and isolating experience, leading to deep emotional pain and significant impacts on an individual’s relationships and quality of life. For Autistic individuals, those with ADHD, and beyond, the fear and distress linked to perceived or actual rejection can manifest in ways that challenge even the most experienced therapists. This workshop will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of rejection sensitivity and equip you with practical tools to help your clients process and heal from these painful experiences. Led by Jennifer Kemp, an Autistic and ADHD clinical psychologist, this session will help you support clients who are stuck in the painful feelings after rejection in ways that prevent them from living fulfilling lives.
Background to the workshop
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is more than just a fear of rejection; it’s a profound emotional reaction that often feels unbearable and all-consuming for those who experience it. Though common in Autistic and ADHD clients, rejection sensitivity is not exclusive to neurodivergence. It can manifest in anyone, with roots in interpersonal trauma, emotional regulation challenges, and difficulties in recognising social signals and processing emotions. For many, the intense distress associated with rejection leads to avoidance and withdrawal, anger and hostility in relationships, heightened self-criticism, and a sense of disconnection from others.
In therapeutic contexts, rejection sensitivity can present unique challenges. Clients may feel misunderstood, fear judgment from their therapist, or struggle to trust the safety of the therapeutic relationship. Understanding the origins and maintenance of rejection sensitivity is crucial for therapists looking to help clients navigate and heal from these complex emotions. This workshop will provide you with the tools and confidence to do just that.
What you will gain from this workshop
By attending this workshop, you will:
- Learn how to identify when rejection sensitivity is at the core of your client’s distress and its impact on their relationships and quality of life.
- Understand the contributing factors to rejection sensitivity, including interpersonal trauma, alexithymia, and emotional regulation difficulties. Gain strategies to help clients cope with and recover from the emotional pain of rejection.
- Discover techniques to support clients in navigating the complex emotions of rejection, including shame, regret, and confusion.
- Learn practical ways to cultivate self-compassion in clients to counteract the self-critical narratives that rejection sensitivity often reinforces.
- Explore how to foster a sense of interpersonal safety, both within the therapeutic relationship and in your clients’ broader social connections.
This workshop will provide you with actionable insights and approaches to create a therapeutic environment where your clients can heal, grow, and deepen their connections with others.
About this workshop
This 2-hour workshop combines expert knowledge with practical application, delivered by Jennifer Kemp, an Autistic and ADHD clinical psychologist with both professional expertise and lived experience. The session will include mini-lectures, case examples, and experiential exercises to help you integrate the concepts and strategies into your own practice. You’ll leave equipped with a deeper understanding of rejection sensitivity and a toolkit of approaches to support your clients in building emotional resilience and fostering meaningful relationships.
Who will benefit from this workshop?
This workshop is designed for therapists and psychologists with an intermediate or advanced understanding of therapeutic work who want to deepen their skills in working with clients experiencing rejection sensitivity. It is particularly suited to those who work with neurodivergent clients, such as Autistic or ADHD individuals, as well as those who encounter rejection sensitivity in a broader range of clients. Whether you’re looking to enhance your therapeutic relationships or help clients build safer, more connected lives, this workshop offers valuable insights and practical tools to support your practice.
This is an intermediate level workshop. If you require an introduction to the topic of working with neurodiversity, check out our on-demand workshop with Jennifer Kemp: Working with neurodivergent adults: Developing self-compassion and self-acceptance
Feedback from previous attendees on Jennifer’s workshops
“It was absolutely everything that I had hoped it would be and more and I have gained so many resources and new thinking and feel much better equipped to work with my neurodivergent senior medical and public health leader clients. I can honestly say this is the best training I have done for many years.”
Dr Fiona Day MBChB, FFPH, CPsychol Medical & Public Health Leadership Coach
“Excellent experience, highly recommended.”
Lou Gane, Neurodiversity-Affirming Health Coach
“The presentation itself was so interesting and informative. The resources have also been great.”
Julie McKendry, Behaviour Analyst
Group booking discounts
Contextual Consulting offer discounts for groups of people from the same organisation e.g. an NHS Trust that does not have a contract arrangement with us.
Please email us here to arrange a group discount or find out more about our CPD contracts here.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe the impact of rejection sensitivity dysphoria on emotional well-being and relationships.
- Identify the various factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of
- rejection sensitivity.
- Apply strategies to help clients manage the emotional impact of rejection.
- Nurture self-compassion and emotional well-being in these clients.
- Create a safe and supportive therapeutic environment for clients exploring experiences of rejection
APA psychologists: This program is sponsored by Contextual Consulting and is approved for 2 CE credits for psychologists. Contextual Consulting is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Contextual Consulting maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Nationally certified counselors: This workshop is available for 2 credit hours. Contextual Consulting Ltd. has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7578.
To find out more, including attendance requirements and how to access your certificate, go to our continuing education information page.
If you have disability and require adjustments or accommodation, please email us at admin@contextualconsulting.co.uk to discuss your needs and we will do our best to help you.
Booking cancellation
The registration fee will be refunded minus a administration charge if cancellations are received at least two weeks before the workshop date.
Cancellations within two weeks of the event date are charged the full registration fee, other than in exceptional circumstances that can be verified.
Event cancellation
In the event of cancellation of the course outside of our control we will not be held accountable for travel and/or accommodation costs incurred. However, the workshop fees will be refunded.
All workshops will be subject to minimum delegate numbers being met; in the event that a workshop should be cancelled delegates will be given no less than 2 months’ notice.
Replacing delegates
If a delegate is unable to attend and a replacement is nominated there may be a charge depending on the individual circumstances, this will be advised at the time. Please contact the us to request a replacement of delegates at least a week before the workshop date.
Contextual Consulting is committed to the identification and resolution of potential conflicts of interest in the planning, promotion, delivery, and evaluation of continuing education. Potential conflicts of interest occur when an individual assumes a professional role in the planning, promotion, delivery, or evaluation of continuing education where personal, professional, legal, financial, or other interests could reasonably be expected to impair their objectivity, competence, or effectiveness.
There was no commercial support for this event. None of the planners or presenters for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.