Unmasking
with Layla Touchet
Behavior Bites Podcast - Episode 05Jan 11, 2023What’s it like to unmask?
In today’s show— Layla and I chat about how being yourself can ultimately lead you to your goals.
If you don’t know Layla, she’s an award-winning school counselor working on her PhD—who was recently diagnosed with ADHD and Autism, in her late 20s.
(This barely scratches the surface of how awesome she is.) Listen to learn more!
Excerpts from the Episode
(*Paraphrased highlights)-
I spent years trying to make everyone like me. I thought that was how you made friends. I spent so many years masking that it was hard to find myself underneath it all. I wasn't sure what was me and what were pieces that I took from others.
In the process of unmasking, I'm slowly filtering it out and finding the parts that are me and embracing them fully. That has brought me so much clarity. It has also opened so many doors.
Don't get me wrong, there are still times where I mask usually due to safety perception, uncertainty of the people around me, or specific things. But I'm now able to be myself more when I'm with my people or alone. I can relax. I can love my special interests. I can do what I need to do, like fidgets, ball chairs, and noise canceling earbuds. I can be more fully Layla.
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This might sound insane to some people, but I wake up at 4am Mon-Fri and go to kickboxing at 5am. That’s how I start my day, by kicking shit. It’s my favorite way… When I get home, to relax and recharge—I like reading, playing the Harry Potter puzzle game, or Pokémon. There’s usually a brownie and ice cream involved in there somewhere. My weekends are imperative for recharging, connecting with friends, family, and my husband.
ABOUT Layla
Layla Touchet, M.S., LPC, NCC, ADHD-CCSP, CASDCS (she/her)
* Connect with Layla on Instagram @theneurodivergentcounselorLayla Touchet is a professional school counselor and licensed mental health counselor with certifications in ADHD & Autism along with working on her PHD in Counseling. She also has ADHD & Autism herself.
Layla has been recognized as a 2022 NBCC National Certified Counselor Award recipient and the 2022 Overall Louisiana School Counselor of the Year.
Working with tiny humans, advocacy, and educating others is the heart of who she is, and she loves doing it even more when she can sit on floors, move around, incorporate her special interests, and use her fidgets.
When she's not doing those things, you can find her kickboxing before the sun rises, reading books, listening to podcasts, organizing her office supplies, & spending time with her favorite people.
Visit my Podcast page to learn more about Behavior Bites!
