ONLINE GROUPS

All training is designed, reviewed and presented by Autistic people. The lead designer and the presenter for all courses is Jacqueline Gibb, who is Autistic and ADHD (AuDHD). For more information about me see my About page.

All session times are listed as Canberra/Sydney/Melbourne times.

About Autism, About Me

A 6 week online group for late (formal or self) diagnosed Autistics to learn more about what it means to be Autistic from a Neurodiversity Affirming perspective. You will be guided through in-depth exploration of different elements of being Autistic, as well as share your own experiences and hear from other Autistics. This Autistics only space gives people the opportunity to safely explore their neurodivergent identity and learn helpful and practical strategies.

This group is also suitable for people who strongly suspect that they are Autistic or who are investigating a diagnosis.

Days & times for 2024

  • Start date: 5 May 2024
    Finish date: 9 June 2024

    Time: 4:30pm - 6pm (AEDT)

  • Sunday evening

    Start date: 4 August 2024
    Finish date: 8 September 2024

    Time: 6pm - 7:30pm (AEDT)

    Thursday morning

    Start date: 8 August 2024
    Finish date: 12 September 2024

    Time: 11am - 12:30pm (AEDT)

  • Friday lunch time

    Start date: 18 October 2024
    Finish date: 22 November 2024

    Time: 12pm - 1:30pm (AEDT)


    Sunday evening

    Start date: 20 October 2024
    Finish date: 24 November 2024

    Time: 6pm - 7:30pm (AEDT)

Fees

The cost of the group is $125 per week or $750 total.

This includes:

  • 6 x 90 minute group sessions

  • a 150+ page resource pack valued at $100

Fees can be paid for via credit card, bank transfer or through NDIS funding*

*See FAQs

What previous group participants thought

About Me, About Autism - FAQs

  • It depends on your NDIS plan and if this group aligns with the goals of your plan.

    If it does, and you have sufficient funding in your Capacity Building - Improved Daily Living then you are ab able to claim this group through there is you are plan or self managed.

    The group is the same cost for NDIS and privately funded people.

    I will provide you with a service agreement to sign.

  • This group is for people who have been late diagnosed as autistic. Late diagnosed usually means diagnosed if you were diagnosed as an adult.

    You do not need a formal diagnosis (e.g. from a psychologist) to join this group. If you are self-diagnosed (you believe you have Autism) or if you suspect you are Autistic you are welcome to join.

    If you were diagnosed as a child, but you are now figuring out what it means to be an Autistic adult, you are also welcome.

    If you are not sure if you fall within this criteria feel free to get in touch to see if this group is right for you.

  • This group aims to help Autistic people understand their Autistic brains and how this impacts them and their relationships. This psychoeducation about autism moves beyond the diagnostic criteria of the medical model to reframe autism from the Neurodiversity Affirming perspective.

    The goal of the group is to increase self-awareness and self-acceptance by learning about autism and increasing self-knowledge. By learning more about autism, you will be able to harness its strengths and reframe your experience from deficit to affirming. We will also cover things that Autistic people struggle with and what are some ways to work with those struggles.

    I will also give opportunities for practical application of strategies and give you lots of resources to use outside the course. The idea of this group is to equip you with enough knowledge, ideas and strategies that you can then either self-manage exploring those further or that you gain insight into what you need further help with from an expert-helper.

  • This group is packed full of content, backed up with recent research, and practical strategies.

    • neurodiversity affirming

    • existing on a spectrum

    • neuronal sensitivity - what makes us so unique

    • monotropism - what interests us

    • bottom-up processing - how do we process the world

    • masking and unmasking

    • Autistic myths

    • Autistic communication & the double empathy problem

    • Autistic strengths & struggles

    • History of autism and contributing factors to myths and ablist views of Autistic

    You will also have the opportunity to nominate a topic or question to be covered when you register.

  • The benefits of a group environment is that you can choose to share your own experiences and feel visible and heard by other people on the same journey with you. You also get to listen to other people’s experiences to have that “me too” moment. It can help you to feel a little bit less alone because other people are going through the same thing as you.

    Groups are also very cost-effective. For example, the current NDIS rate for 1:1 counselling sessions is $156.16 for 1 hour.

    We all like to do better in life, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. A group like this can be a good starting point to identify areas that you might want to explore more, either by yourself or with the help of an expert helper.

  • This group will run via Zoom over 6 weeks.

    Sessions are 90 minutes.

    Each session will have a psychoeducation component where you will learn about one of the topics, a time for group discussion and reflection and asking questions.

    How you participate in the group is up to you. I intend to build a safe group space where people can contribute in a way that makes sense to them and feels safe.

    I tailor the sessions to the particular group and their needs.

  • The groups will be small so that they can be intimate, leave space for everyone have a turn to speak or ask questions.

    The maximum number of participants in a group is 6 people.

  • The cost for the group is $750.

    Non-NDIS group members

    A deposit of $300 is required to secure your spot.

    The remainder of the fee is due before the first session.

    NDIS group members

    Plan-managed: I can provide a service agreement and invoice your plan manager on a weekly basis after the completion of each session.

    Self-managed: You can choose to either pay up front or be invoiced weekly.

  • Cancellation with more than 2 weeks notice = $0.

    Cancellation with 1-14 days notice = $300 (non-refundable deposit).

    Cancellation with 0 days notice or no shows is full cost of the group.

    If I am able to fill your spot with another person = $0 cancellation fee.

    If you are unable to attend the group due to unforeseen circumstances but defer to the next group that runs = $0 cancellation fee.

  • I am an Autistic and ADHD (AuDHD) fully qualified teacher, counsellor/psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and writer. I am also an experienced group facilitator.

    You can read more about on my About Me page.

  • If the day/time does not suit, please feel free to get in touch with me and let me know what would work for you. If there is enough demand, I can run either additional groups or run groups at different times.

  • If you have any questions feel free to get in touch with me via:

    Email

    Facebook Messenger

About Autism, About Me - self-paced

This is the About Autism, About Me group run in a self paced manner. This is ideal for people who are unable to attend an online group or would like to work through the content at their own pace. Check back soon to see when it will be available.

Upcoming Group: I’m Autistic… what’s next?

Coming in 2024

A 6 week online group for late diagnosed Autistics to learn and come to terms with common experiences and issues post-diagnosis; how to embrace your diagnosis and Autistic life; including exploring the burnout cycle many Autistic people find themselves in.

Register your interest for this group now and receive a 10% discount when the group starts.

I want to create Autistic spaces - and part of that is meeting Autistic needs.

Many Autistics find it helpful to have things explained explicitly - and if that’s you, this page is for you! If you feel anything is missing or you still have questions feel free to use this feedback form.

I frequently updated my pages & added more information, so don’t forget to come back.