Monthly Autistic Parent Support Group
This support group is open to autistic parents who live anywhere in the world. Facilitated by Danielle Aubin, MSW @myautistictherapist
**NEXT GROUP: 10/8/2024 at 6:30pm-7:30pm PST**
Welcome!
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This is a monthly drop-in autistic parent support group for autistic parents to come together for one hour to support each other, connect, learn, and tackle challenges. Most importantly, this is a safe space to be autistic while parenting.
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FAQs
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What is the refund & cancellation policy?
You are entitled to refund if you cancel 24 hours or more prior to the event. To cancel and receive a refund, please email Danielle at Danielle@danielleaubin.com
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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 follows HIPAA privacy laws and will never share your name or any of your personal information with those inside and outside of this group.
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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 as well as black and indigenous folx are invited to attend for free (please email me at danielle@danielleaubin.com to get the zoom link). This group is dedicated to creating spaces to speak about marginalized identities and concerns for group members with intersecting identities.
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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 is set to run all of 2024 and beyond!
Is this considered group therapy?
No. Although Danielle is a licensed therapist, they occupy a peer facilitator role for this group.
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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, 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.
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The third rule is that you can show up to this meeting 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 / autistic parents. 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.
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What dates/times does this group happen?
This group will run every 2nd Tuesday of the month from 6:30-7:30pm Pacific time. Group meetings are held via zoom. This group will meet on the following upcoming dates in the rest of 2024: 10/8/24, 11/12/24 and 12/10/24. Dates in 2025: 1/14/25, 2/11/25, 3/11/25, 4/8/25, 5/13/25, 6/10/25, 7/8/25, 8/12/25, 9/9/25, 10/14/25, (no meeting in November due to holidays), 12/9/25
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How much does it cost?
Pricing is pay what you can with a suggested sliding scale of $25-$75 based on ability to pay per group meeting. NO ONE IS TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS.
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