FAQs

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What's the cancelation policy?
If you sign up for the monthly plans, you can cancel at any point. Your subscription will renew until you choose to cancel. You can cancel anytime easily on your own via PayPal subscription.

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I am not sure this group is for me. Can I try it before committing financially? Yes! Please email me here to join one group meeting for free to try it out. 

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What is the refund policy?

You are welcome to try out this community risk free. If you decide this membership isn't what you are looking for after signing up, you will receive a full refund, no questions asked. 

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Is my participation confidential?

All participants make an agreement to keep the names and identities of those who participate confidential. This ensures that this group remains safe for everyone and allows authentic sharing to take place. As the facilitator of this group, Danielle will never share your name or any of your personal information with those inside and outside of this group.

 

Is this an actually affirming space? 

This group is run by an Autistic facilitator and based on a non-pathologizing view of Autism, meaning that Autism is seen as the neurotype/brain style that it is and not as a disease to be "cured." You are welcome to arrive as your Autistic self, masked or unmasked or some mix of unmasking/confusion, you are welcome as you are. 

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What is this group really like? 

Generally 12-16 people come to the meetings. There have been many people who have been in the community for over 1 year and this group has become a "lifeline" (term used by many participants) for many who are navigating late-discovery and we support each other via talking about what is going on in our lives and discussing topics either pre-selected before the meeting or brought up by participants during the meeting. You DO NOT need to have your camera on or introduce yourself or speak at all. This is a space to show up how you need to. 

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What are the rules?

The number one rule here is to protect each other’s confidentiality. Please do not share the names of those who participate or any information about themselves that they shared. This is to make this space safe for all of us. 

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The second rule is to keep this space respectful. The autistic community is a diverse one and there are many people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, BIPOC community, indigenous folks, higher support needs, co-occurring diagnoses,  etc. Please respect and use each other’s preferred pronouns and make an effort to understand the intersectionality and lived experiences of those with multiple marginalized identities beyond being autistic and/or Autistic folks with higher support needs. 

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The third rule is that you can show up to meetings how you need to. You do not need to have your camera on, speak or participate in any way. You can come in and out as you need to. 

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The fourth rule is that this group is to support each other and discuss topics that are related to our experience as late-discovered Autistic adults. Since this is not therapy, please do not bring up traumatic material* that would be better discussed with a trained mental health professional. While I am a therapist, I am not providing therapy in this space and therefore, I am not able to provide clinical advice or intervention. 

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The fifth and final rule is to make sure you have signed the coaching consent form prior to participating in this group. The link to the coaching consent form is here: https://www.myautistictherapist.com/consent

 

*(meaning details of abuse, etc that could be traumatic for those listening and/or re-traumatizing for you. If you aren’t sure what this could mean, feel free to message me privately via the zoom chat feature or via email or discord)

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What you can expect from me as a facilitator

I take my role as a facilitator very seriously. I am here to support your growth and health as an Autistic person living in a world that frequently does the opposite. I am committed to being consistent, transparent, and reliable. I arrive at meetings on time, and I follow all the guidelines such as the agreed upon rules to the letter. I will send reminders for meetings, keep a list of upcoming meetings on my website, and respect your time by making sure you receive accurate information about what I offer, when, and how.

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During meetings, I hold space and ensure that the space is safe, especially for those with multiple marginalized identities. This means that I will immediately address any communication that can be perceived as prejudice, cultural appropriation, ableist, microaggression, and invalidation. While I am not perfect, I will try my best to keep this space safe and I will be available and responsive to feedback. I will also model what unmasking and dismantling internalized ableism can look like. I will model honesty, integrity, and accountability. 

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I will keep safe boundaries; I will not seek out dual relationships with anyone who attends the groups I hold. I will not overshare my own personal information in order to protect the group and maintain my role as a facilitator. I will walk my talk and seek out supervision and training so I can continue to grow and be a helpful resource to our community.

 

I am a member of the People of Global Majority (PGM) and/or LGBTQ+ community, is this space safe for me?

This group is founded on the principals of decolonization, de-centering whiteness, & anti-racism. As your facilitator, I am dedicated to ensuring this space is radically inclusive of all marginalized identities through equitable sliding scale (there is a coupon code for PGM) as well as a free membership option for black and indigenous folx. This diverse group is  dedicated to creating spaces to speak about marginalized identities and concerns for group members with intersecting identities.  

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How do I join the membership?

To join the membership, you will need to select your sliding scale tier and pay for your first month via PayPal. Once you pay for your first month, you will receive a welcome email with links to the zoom meetings and our lively discord server.  Please review the cost (subscription tiers) prior to applying. 

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I can't afford the membership fee, is there a scholarship fund?

Yes! We currently offer reduce fee spots to members of the People of the global majority (PGM) community. If you are a member of the PGM community and need financial assistance in accessing this group, please use the discount code PGM50 (for 50% off) when selecting the lowest tier (the $75/month tier). If you are black and/or indigenous, you are invited to join this community free of charge. Click here to join for free if you are black and/or indigenous.

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I suspect I am Autistic but I am not sure, is this group for me? 

Yes!! We accept people in all stages of their autism-discovery journey. You don't have to know 100% that you are Autistic to join this group. There is a large component of this group that is focused on education and learning about what it means to be Autistic and what it can look like for each of us. You are welcome here! Come on in. 

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Does this group have an end date? 

No. This group has been running since 2024 and will continue indefinitely. Members are welcome to pause/cancel/renew their subscription at any point. Members can rejoin the group at any point as long as there is space. 

I’m not sure how it will all work? Will there be an orientation of some kind?
You will receive a welcome email with the zoom link for every upcoming zoom meeting and an invitation to our private discord server. You will be able to ask questions as well as add your own intro and comments to our ongoing discussions on discord.

 

What's the difference between a membership (ongoing support group) vs a typical support group?

Support groups are usually live meetings with no communication or support in between. A ongoing support group such as this one provides a discord server where the community naturally expands and grows to have various supportive resources and conversations such as book clubs, ongoing discussions, deep dives, etc that is available throughout the month as opposed to only during the 60 or 90 minutes allotted to a support group. Some people have been in this community for over a year! This makes it possible to build deeper, more lasting bonds with each other as we explore what late-diagnosis/late-discovery means to us and our lives. 

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What types of topics are discussed?

This will depend on who is in the group at any given time but historically we have talked about: autistic burnout, empathy, new research, loneliness, navigating being misunderstood, trauma, assessment, co-occuring conditions, finding a therapist, accessing a diagnosis, financial issues, relationships, career/work, and more. 

Will I be able to work with someone 1-1 if I join?
Although you will have access to individualized attention and support, everything is done communally via group collective discussions on discord and in our zoom meetings. 

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What is Danielle Aubin, MSW's role as the facilitator of this membership community?

Danielle provides facilitation for all of the live meetings to ensure that boundaries are being respected and that everyone's needs are met. Danielle also engages in the discord server in various discussions, offers support and resources, responds to the needs of the community, and facilitates the book club and watch parties. Danielle's role in this group is as a coach and facilitator NOT as a therapist. 

What if I can't attend the group discussion calls?
To ensure safety for the community and to allow for vulnerable discussions about sensitive topics, group discussion calls are not recorded. You will have access to the ongoing discord discussions and resources. 

Is this considered group therapy?
No. This is a mix of education, peer support, and group coaching facilitated by Danielle Aubin, MSW who is an autistic coach. Your informed consent will be required to participate in coaching since there are clear legal differences between coaching and therapy. The informed consent form is located here and you will be asked to sign it once you sign up for the membership. 

Is there a start date or a deadline to enroll?
No. Enrollment is ongoing and continuous as long as there is space. You can enroll at any time and cancel at any time. 

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How many members are active right now?

The answer to the question will vary but we've historically been around 20-40 people. Our meetings are typically attended by around 13-19 people.​​

 

When are the zoom group discussion calls happening in 2025? 

We have two group discussion calls per month. They fall on the following dates in 2025 (every 1st and 3rd Tuesday): 1/7/25, 1/21/25, 2/4/25, 2/18/25, 3/4/25, 3/18/25, 4/1/25, 4/15/25, 5/6/25, 5/20/25, 6/3/25, 6/17/25, 7/1/25, 7/15/25, 8/5/25, 8/19/25, 9/2/25, 9/16/25, 10/7/25, 10/21/25, 11/4/25, 11/18/25, 12/2/25, 12/16/25.

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What is the monthly cost? 

Membership is offered at three different payment levels based on Worts & Cunning's sliding scale for economic justice. Lowest tier is $75 per month, middle tier is $150 per month and highest tier is $200 per month. There are a limited amount of scholarships and reduced fee options for members of the People of the Global Majority (PGM) community (use discount code PGM50 for 50% off of the lowest tier). Black and indigenous folks are invited to join this community free of charge here. **Please be mindful that if you purchase a price at the lowest end of the scale when you can truthfully afford the higher ticket prices, you are limiting access to those who truly need the gift of financial flexibility.** 

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