How Discovering an Autistic Identity in Adulthood Impacts Work, Career, and Wellbeing
Tracks
Marquis - In-Person Only
| Tuesday, September 29, 2026 |
| 11:55 AM - 12:25 PM |
| Marquis Room |
Overview
Michalina Lisik, Griffith University | PEXA
Key Learnings
1. An understanding of how late‑identified autistic adults reinterpret their work histories, and why this reframing is critical for their mental health, self-acceptance and confidence.
2. Insight into why some autistic adults may pivot their career paths after diagnosis / self‑discovery, and what this reveals about job–person fit, burnout risk, and the importance of supportive organisational environments.
3. Practical, neuroaffirming strategies for supporting autistic people navigating diagnosis or self‑discovery in adulthood
Speaker
Ms Michalina Lisik
Sessional Academic & Business Manager
Griffith University & PEXA
How Discovering an Autistic Identity in Adulthood Impacts Work, Career, and Wellbeing
Presentation Overview
Late‑identified autistic adults are a growing group, yet their experiences at work and in mental health are still not well understood. Many people describe receiving an autism diagnosis in adulthood as life‑changing, but far less is known about how this new self‑understanding affects their careers, wellbeing at work, and long‑term job outcomes. This presentation shares findings from interviews with 20 autistic adults who were diagnosed or self‑identified later in life, exploring how their work experiences changed before and after discovering they were autistic.
Four themes emerged, moving from:
• confusion to self‑understanding
• self‑criticism to self‑acceptance
• low confidence and overworking to self‑advocacy
• burnout to self‑preservation
Importantly, the mental health theme was not separate. Burnout and self‑preservation influenced, and were influenced by, each of the other themes. For many participants, workplace difficulties shaped how they understood themselves, how harshly they judged their differences, and how much they felt they needed to overcompensate. In turn, gaining self‑understanding, acceptance, and confidence after recognising they were autistic directly supported better mental health and a stronger commitment to self‑preservation. This two‑way relationship highlights the need to view autistic wellbeing and career development as deeply interconnected.
Discovering an autistic identity helped participants make sense of their histories and feel more confident asking for what they need at work. At the same time, many continued to face workplace and societal barriers that limited their opportunities, showing that personal insight alone cannot overcome systemic issues.
This session will turn these insights into practical, neuroaffirming guidance for employers, practitioners, and policymakers. Key takeaways include:
• how late‑diagnosed autistic adults reinterpret their work histories, and why this matters for mental health
• workplace conditions that support confidence, self‑advocacy, and sustainable careers
• practical strategies to support autistic people navigating diagnosis or self‑discovery in adulthood
Four themes emerged, moving from:
• confusion to self‑understanding
• self‑criticism to self‑acceptance
• low confidence and overworking to self‑advocacy
• burnout to self‑preservation
Importantly, the mental health theme was not separate. Burnout and self‑preservation influenced, and were influenced by, each of the other themes. For many participants, workplace difficulties shaped how they understood themselves, how harshly they judged their differences, and how much they felt they needed to overcompensate. In turn, gaining self‑understanding, acceptance, and confidence after recognising they were autistic directly supported better mental health and a stronger commitment to self‑preservation. This two‑way relationship highlights the need to view autistic wellbeing and career development as deeply interconnected.
Discovering an autistic identity helped participants make sense of their histories and feel more confident asking for what they need at work. At the same time, many continued to face workplace and societal barriers that limited their opportunities, showing that personal insight alone cannot overcome systemic issues.
This session will turn these insights into practical, neuroaffirming guidance for employers, practitioners, and policymakers. Key takeaways include:
• how late‑diagnosed autistic adults reinterpret their work histories, and why this matters for mental health
• workplace conditions that support confidence, self‑advocacy, and sustainable careers
• practical strategies to support autistic people navigating diagnosis or self‑discovery in adulthood
Biography
Michalina (Mish) Lisik is a Technology Business Manager and DEI Chairperson at PEXA, and a sessional academic at Griffith University whose work bridges neurodiversity and organisational transformation. With experience across corporate and academic research, she specialises in translating the experiences and needs of neurodivergent people into practical, systemic change within organisations.
