Adult Autism Group: Starting November 14th 2024

Are you an adult who has been given an Austism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis in adulthood?

Do you show traits of autism in your daily life?

Do you experience challenges in living with neurodiversity?

Our upcoming four-week program for adults at Compass Psychology aims to introduce:

• Deepen your understanding of the neuroscience of neurodiverse brain and autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Navigating social and sensory challenges
• Building routines that support your strengths
• Discussing these issues and more in a small, safe environment

Why should you attend this course/ Is it relevant to you?

Join us for a supportive, 4-session group designed specifically for adults looking to learn more about autism and what it means to live as a neurodiverse individual.

In this group, we’ll cover the basics of autism as a spectrum disorder, explore the unique ways ASD may shape everyday experiences, and discuss strategies to embrace and thrive within your neurodiverse reality.

Together, we’ll dive into topics like self-understanding, navigating social and sensory challenges, and building routines that support your strengths. This group offers a safe space to connect, share insights, and gain practical tools to better understand and celebrate your neurodivergent identity.

This group offers information from professionals. It also provides support in a group format to participants. This group is especially aimed at those adults who have recently learn that they have neurodiverse traits and would like to learn more about this. You are welcome to attend if you also have ADHD traits.

Group Outline:

Session 1. Welcome to the Group: What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
– Psychoeducation on the presentation, common symptoms, unique symptoms, and common challenges resulting from the symptoms.
– DSM-5 criteria
– Comorbid conditions
– Psychoeducation on the term spectrum disorder: Different degrees of functioning within different individuals
– Group discussion on unique presentations and challenges

Session 2. Spectrum Disorder
– Digging deeper in the different presentation and functioning withing different individuals.
– Sensory issues.
– Impostor syndrome
– Internalized Ableism
– Road to diagnosis / Story of my diagnosis: Letting go of the past, Acceptance of one’s own different ways of performing and functioning.
– Talk about masking.
– Discussion on accommodations and coping.

Session 3. Autism in Everyday Life
– Awareness and Acceptance: Becoming aware of one’s unique neurodiverse traits in different areas of life. Learning to accept one’s neurodiverse reality.
– Moving away from negative self-narrative (e.g., defective, wrong) toward positive, more merciful narrative (e.g., different).
– Solution-focused techniques in group: “Reconfiguring character traits”
– Recap of masking and discussion on individual masking.
– Road towards unmasking. Increasing the window of tolerance to consider unmasking in certain areas.

Session 4. Autism/Neurodiverse Friendly Reality
– Moving from something that does not work for me toward my own, unique, functional reality.
– Discussion on awareness and acceptance.
– Strategies to recognize social/emotional battery reserve.
– Discussion on stress management and stress recovery.
– Letting go of dysfunctional patterns.
– Learning to honour one’s sensory sensitivities and protect their energy.

Do you also have ADHD?

You are very welcome to attend this group with comorbid ADHD. The difficulties of comorbidity (having both conditions) for ADHD and ASD will be fully discussed in the group sessions. If you do not have autism traits and only have ADHD traits, please attend our Adult ADHD group instead (see this link).

The facilitators for the Adult Autism group are Adja Nixon and Nera Peraman

Adja is the lead facilitator and curriculum designer for this group. She is a graduate of Counselling Psychology (MACP) at Yorkville University in Canada and has also completed training in Solution-Focused Neuropsychiatric Coaching at the Helsinki Psychotherapy Institute in 2024. She completed an internship at Compass Psychology in 2023, and now works as a therapist through her company Thrive Therapy. You can read more about Adja here.   

Adult with autism, Adult who has gotten diagnosis later in life. Work life balance. Working with neurodiversity. Help with autism diagnosis. Help and support. More information about having autism as an adult. How do I have relationships when I have autism? How do I get a job when I have autism? Best work place practices when you have autism.