ASD adult support groups: What should they be like?

Post Reply New Topic

In-person group settings, of whatever kind, tend to be utterly nerve-racking for many of us, perhaps most of us. For that very reason, many of us might hesitate to attend even a support group for autistic adults, should one happen to exist in our local area.

Do you have any thoughts on how a support group should be structured, so as to minimize the anxiety and/or frustration of its attendees including newcomers? What would the group need to be like in order to make you feel comfortable attending?

I'll post my own thoughts later. But first I would be interested to see what others have to say on this matter.

See discussion thread 'Social Skills For HFA'
LINK: viewtopic.php?f=7&p=8256246

Its hard for me to imagine what such a group would look like. Partly because I am not that social, and I don't tend to seek advice from other people all that much. I do know that it would take me a long time before I felt like contributing much to such a group, so I doubt it would be beneficial to either me or the group.

I see nothing in that thread that is directly relevant to the questions I asked above, unless you intended to hint at the kind of person you think should be leading a support group.

A person which leads a support group can encourage a group to reconsider just what specifically would be helpful outside of support-group settings.

I had participated in support groups, and I felt that one reason why many support groups drew too few members, and interest quickly faded may be on account of that lack of diversity; that is support groups which seem too clinical-like in nature. For example, encouraging members to move away from expressing problems with HFA, and become proactive by reconsidering concrete approaches e.g., becoming acquainted with NTs who've had some experience with HFA.

Again, encouraging that proactive, concrete dynamic might actually resonate more with HFA than than clinical-like, more or less formal settings.

I also think it's probably good for at some support group to have a more concrete goal-oriented focus than JUST talking about our problems.


What kind of support groups were these? Groups led by clinicians or other professionals? Or nonprofessional peer-led self-help/support groups?


Do you mean to suggest here that said NT's be directly involved with the support group, or that the support group discuss how to find and interact with them? Or both?


I think it's probably good for at least some support groups to have a more specific focus than just being a generic support groups. You and I may differ, though, on what specific kind of focus we would be more interested in. More about that later.

In a nutshell, to best answer questions/viewpoints, every option mentioned in this thread is important; that is it's best to avoid 'either/or' perspectives.

Your WP location lists NYC. I have mentioned the AANE www.aane.org in the Boston Area. AANE has merged with the AHA support group in NYC. Are you aware of AHA?

Amongst many HFA resources, it seems that AANE appears to best grasp the challenges facing HFA. Can AANE become more active here on WP? AANE's presence on WP might "break the ice" so to speak here on WP. Might AANE's presence on WP be interpreted as concrete and proactive - to encourage people to "step outside the box" and actually boost social skills? ANA and/or AANE might best answer this question!!

Yes, I've been attending AHA support group meetings for over a year.


AHA, now the NYC / Long Island branch of AANE, is currently on summer break so I can't ask right now, but my guess is that the answer would be no. While the support groups are free, it is primarily an organization run by and for professionals (therapists, social workers, etc.), with only a limited amount of services that are provided for free to potential clients of said professionals. I'm pretty sure that the idea of participation on message boards would be dismissed out of hand as far too time-consuming.

Ditto

Oh yes, I had seen an awesome therapist experienced with the Autism Spectrum, and discussed the roles of therapists here on WP. I was told that time scheduling for posting & following through on WP is indeed an issue.

Again, the AANE agency seems equipped to advise anybody concerned with, and living with HFA on best practices.

For starters, resources, experts, and therapists alike experienced with HFA can contribute veerrrry important, and much needed perspectives on the dynamics of.......WP!

Perhaps so, but, unless someone succeeds in getting a foundation grant to pay them to do that, it's not likely to happen.

I'm more interested in discussing things that are less expensive and more likely to happen. In particular, let's keep this thread on the topic of in-person support groups and what they should be like in order to be worthwhile.

Everyone, please post in this thread only if you are at least considering attending an in-person support group -- or would consider it, if there were a good-enough in-person support group in your local area -- despite whatever reservations and trepidations you may have.

Everyone, what would make an in-person support group worthwhile for you? And how would it need to be structured in order for you to be able to participate?

The San Francisco Adult Asperger Self-Help Meetup (AASHM) (LINK). I'm a few hours drive away from the SF Bay Area, and I may schedule a visit to SF and to include AASHM on my bucket list. Many of us in proximity to the SF Bay Area might might be interested in experiences with AASHM.

I'm also interested in what the 'ARC of SF' offers; as one of ARC's functions is to host meetings for the AASCEND agency (Aspergers resources) (LINK 2). I'm especially interested the diversity of the 'ARC of SF' - as the ARC's function also assists clientele with developmental disabilities. Personaly, I feel it's important to be mindful of people with developmental disabilities more limiting than HFA.

AASHM has been active for over eleven years, and has over 600 members. Eleven years active is quite favorable in regards to what may actually boost support groups. Can AASHM be a model for HFA support groups? The AASCEND agency has also been active for several years.

The SF Bay Area appears more aware of HFA than the average metro area's awareness (even when comparing metro regions on both coasts). Hence, the diversity, and the interest in the SF Bay Area in applying "out of the box" approaches!

LINK: https://www.meetup.com/asperger/

LINK2: www.aascend.org