A Burnout and Recovery Workbook for Neurodivergent Teens

.For many autistic and ADHD teens burnout comes from months of masking, sensory overload, pressure and too little recovery time. This gentle, 10-page workbook helps young people understand what burnout feels like, notice their own warning signs, protect their energy, and find kind, realistic ways to recover.

It’s created by The SEN Advocate and written for the teen to fill in themselves, ideally with a trusted adult nearby.

WHAT’S INSIDE (10 A4 PAGES)

1. Cover, with space for the teen’s name

2. Start Here: What Burnout Can Feel Like – a teen-friendly explanation of how burnout affects the body, emotions, thinking and energy

3. My Warning Signs – clues in the body, thoughts, feelings and behaviour, plus the signs other people might notice first

4. What Drains My Battery? – a tick-list of common drains such as masking, noise, transitions and social pressure, plus what takes less energy

5. My Sensory and Social Recovery Menu – 12 illustrated recovery ideas to choose from

6. Rest Without Guilt – things that count as rest, plus cut-out permission slips

7. Safe People, Safe Places, Safe Words – trusted people, calmer places, and ready-made scripts for asking for help

8. My Recovery Plan for Tough Days – a four-step plan (Notice, Pause, Choose support, Recover)

9. Small Steps Back – a gentle ladder of tiny steps back towards learning

10. A Kinder Week Ahead – a weekly planner built around energy, not just a to-do list

WHO IT’S FOR

• Neurodivergent teens (roughly 11–18), including autistic young people and those with ADHD or PDA

• Teens who are exhausted, shutting down, or struggling after a long period of masking or overwhelm

• Parents and carers who want a gentle way to talk about burnout

• SENCOs, pastoral staff, ELSAs, tutors, therapists and family support workers

WHY IT HELPS

• It frames burnout as a sign of needing care, not a sign of failure.

• It helps teens put their experience into words they can share with adults.

• It’s built around small, realistic steps and rest without guilt.

• Completed pages can be shared with school to inform support plans, reduced timetables, or EHCP and SEN support discussions.

• The illustrations are warm and calm, and suit teens rather than looking childish.

WHAT YOU’LL RECEIVE

• One high-resolution A4 PDF (10 pages)

• An instant digital download, so nothing is posted

HOW TO USE
Download, print at home or at a print shop, and fill in by hand. Pages can be completed in any order, a little at a time, so there’s no pressure to finish. Print extra copies of the recovery menu, recovery plan and weekly planner as often as you need.

COPYRIGHT AND TERMS OF USE
© 2026 The SEN Advocate. All rights reserved.
This workbook is protected by copyright, and every page carries The SEN Advocate copyright notice.

You may:

• Print copies for your own family or for the young person you support

• Share completed pages with the young person’s school or the professionals supporting them

You may not:

• Resell, share, upload or distribute the file, in whole or in part

• Edit it, remove the copyright notice, or claim the work as your own

• Use it in commercial products or paid services

Schools, local authorities or organisations wanting to use it across several students or staff are welcome to message me about a multi-use licence.

PLEASE NOTE

• This is a digital product, and no physical item will be sent.

• Colours may vary slightly depending on screen and printer.

• This workbook is a supportive resource and isn’t a substitute for professional advice. If a young person is in distress or at risk, please contact their GP, CAMHS or, in an emergency, 999.

You might also like Finding My Way Back (a teen EBSA workbook) and the PDA Parent Guide in my shop.