DESCRIPTION: This “closed” support group is for parents who have an adult child 30 years or older. Other adult family caregivers may also register for this group.

“Closed” support groups are ideal for parents and other adult family caregivers who want to go beyond sharing their stories with newcomers each time at open support group meetings. “Closed” support groups:

• help participants establish a stronger connection with and get more extensive peer support from the same group members in a series of meetings.
• involve check-ins with members on issues and successes, as well as education on various topics.
• provide facilitated peer support and are not intended to provide group therapy.

AANE support groups provide an opportunity for parents and family caregivers to voice their concerns and frustrations and celebrate hard-won and unexpected victories. Although each group will focus on different themes and questions, here are some of the most common ones:

• Now that your child is an adult, how do you support and/or parent without power?
• How do you keep the lines of communication open?
• How can you help the autistic adult find and sustain employment and live independently?
• How do you motivate the autistic adult to expand their social network?
• What types of services have other families used and what were the results?
• How have other members tapped into health, income, housing, and other benefits?

WHEN: 3/2, 3/16, 3/30, 4/6, 4/20, 5/4, 5/18, 6/1

TIME: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET

WHERE: Online via Zoom

FACILITATOR: Linda Manning

COST: The list price is $160 per participant for all 8 sessions.

GROUP CAPACITY: 12 participants

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:  For programs and events that require a fee, financial assistance is available and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Discounted registration buttons can be found on some registration pages.  To inquire about financial aid for a program or event, contact events@aane.org.  If you are able, please consider donating the cost of registration so that someone in financial need can attend.

REGISTRATION: Advanced registration is required.  After you have registered, a confirmation email is sent with a link to attend the program. Registrants who do not receive the confirmation email should check their email spam folder. Registration closes 24 hours prior to the first session. Early registration is highly recommended as many programs fill quickly.

REGISTER: $160 (FULL PRICE)

REGISTER: $120 (25% OFF)

REGISTER: $80 (50% OFF)

REGISTER: $40 (75% OFF)

EVENT & GROUP INFORMATION: Most of AANE’s programming is currently online. The following terms are used for different audience specifications:

• “Open” events/groups may have different participants joining from session to session and “Closed” events/groups have the same participants for a set number of sessions.

CODES OF CONDUCT: Participants at AANE events are expected to act respectfully toward other participants and group facilitators. AANE reserves the right to deny admission to and/or ask individual participants to leave an event. For more information see FAQS.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT: The online platform for the event/program will be listed in the confirmation email from AANE. For assistance with Zoom, please visit the Zoom Help Center prior to the event to become familiar with the platform.

DISCLAIMER: The resources and information shared within AANE support groups are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Our hope is that these resources will provide you with useful connections as you navigate your journey of discovery and connection. AANE makes no warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information shared within the group.