“one of the most vital ways we sustain ourselves is by building communities of resistance, places where we know we are not alone.”
Current Group & Community Care Offerings
I Think I’m Autistic - Now What?
A virtual workshop for those who are newly
discovered, questioning, or anywhere in between.
with Ruby Tippl-Cloe, MSW, Supervisee in Social Work
Making the decision to seek a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder can be daunting! This workshop is designed for newly-identified Autistic people*, those who are exploring an Autistic identity, and anyone in between.
Ruby Tippl-Cloe, MSW, Supervisee in Social Work, will draw on lived and professional experience to help participants:
Learn more about the historical, political, and social contexts underlying the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Explore benefits and possible risks/considerations to "formal" versus "self" diagnosis.
Engage in self-reflection to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and goals related to diagnosis/identity exploration.
Find and choose assessment providers and navigate insurance and self-pay options.
Connect to resources for continued education, community-building, and self-discovery.
JANUARY 14th, 5:30-7pm
This community care workshop is offered at no-cost. Any donations collected will be used to help build survival/relocation funds for a trans person fleeing Florida.
(Registered participants will also receive access to the recording if they are unable to attend live.)
The Benefits of Virtual Therapy for Youth
A free 30 minute Q&A discussion for parents and carers.
with Emmin Bickford, MSW, Supervisee in Social Work
Wednesday, January 8th at 7:30pm
This community care workshop is offered at no-cost. Any donations collected will be used to build mutual aid funding for future youth support groups. (Registered participants will also receive access to the recording if they are unable to attend live.)
So Safe and So Sound: an experiential opportunity For experienced therapists curious about safe and sound protocol for personal and/or professional applications.
With Rachel Boggan, LCSW (they/them)
This group offers an opportunity to experience the Safe and Sound Protocol with community - come co-regulate with us! This group will be co-facilitated by Rachel Boggan, LCSW, ADHD-CCSP, CCTP, who is certified in the Safe and Sound Protocol. This is a closed group, limited to 6 participants, that meets in-person every other week for 5 weeks.
In the first session, participants will be offered psychoeducation on the Safe and Sound Protocol, with discussion of considerations for different neurotypes, as well as histories of trauma/acquired neurodivergence. Participants will then have the opportunity to select the music pathway they will use to complete the Safe and Sound Protocol.
For the next 3 sessions, the group format will be 60 minutes of shared space and guided activities while individually engaging with the listening program, followed by 30 minutes of group debrief and discussion.
For the final session, the full session will be an opportunity for reflection, debriefing, and collaboration regarding future possibilities.
Session activity offerings will provide a range of experiences for participants to explore, including art, sensory, and adapted movement - for personal and/or professional applications of this therapeutic listening program.
**Please note - this is NOT a training to become an administrator of the Safe and Sound Protocol. This is a group to experience the protocol first hand, and is a good opportunity for folks who may be curious about the protocol for personal or professional investment. This is also a good fit for folks who may be trained in the protocol and/or administer the protocol for clients, who have not had the opportunity to engage with the program themselves.
Youth Trans and Gender Expansive Support Group
Facilitated by Emmin Bickford, MSW, Supervisee in Social Work (they/them)
Join our transgender and gender expansive support group for youth ages 12-17 to build community, share your experiences with others who just get it, and find supportive resources.
This curriculum-based 8-week group meets virtually Wednesdays at 5:30pm and is open to those who currently identify as transgender, nonbinary, gender expansive, or are questioning their gender.
Fall 2024 Group will begin on September 25th - Complete our interest form today!
The cost of the group is offered at self-selected sliding scale: $25-45 per session. If cost is a barrier to accessibility, please let us know on the interest form as we may have mutual aid funding available.
Past & Full Offerings
A neuroqueer life worth living is a 6 week virtual group for autistic, ADHD, multiply neurodivergent, and/or questioning adults interested in exploring sensory safety, social connection and mental health through an introduction to DBT skills, and who are wanting to participate in community building.
This group offers a supportive space to heal and process through neurodivergent relationships, as well as a space to explore the connections between sensory experience, social connection, and mental health while learning more about DBT skills and strategies. We also hope that this will be a group wherein members can build healthy neurodivergent ways of existence, practice unmasking, share and receive affirming and helpful resources, and create authentic connections with members of shared community.
Open to questioning, self-diagnosed, and professionally identified autistic + ADHD folks ages 18+, this 6 week virtual group offers an introduction to DBT framework and skill-building using The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills by Sonny Jane Wise (@LivedExperienceEducator), as well as other autistic-centered self-exploration resources as our guides.
The group will utilize the guidebook and other materials as a guide for exploration, discussion, and skill building between group sessions - digital copies will be provided at no cost to group members.
The cost of the group is offered at self-selected sliding scale: $25-45 per session. If cost is a barrier to accessibility, please let us know on the interest form as we may have mutual aid funding available.
Thursdays, 6:30-8pm
NOW ENROLLING FOR FALL GROUP: September 3rd - October 8th
Virtual meetings via zoom
A NEUROQUEER LIFE WORTH LIVING:
A SKILLS & SUPPORT GROUP FOR AUTISTIC + ADHD PEOPLE “ADULTING”
With Resident Therapist, Ruby Tippl, MSW, Supervisee in Social Work (they/them)
UNMASKING AUTISM
an educational support group for autistic, multiply neurodivergent, and ND-questioning individuals
With Resident Therapist, Ruby Tippl, MSW, Supervisee in Social Work (they/them)
(guided by concepts shared in Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, PhD)
A 6 week virtual group for autistic, multiply neurodivergent, and/or questioning adults who are looking to examine their own journey of masking, existing in a (neurotypical) Western society, and are wanting to participate in community building.
The Unmasking Autism Group will be a supportive space to heal and process through neurodivergent relationships, as well as a space to process emotions related to your discovery and/or understanding of your neurodivergence, using the concepts shared in Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, PhD as a guide. We also hope that this will be a group wherein members can build healthy neurodivergent ways of existence, practice unmasking, share and receive affirming and helpful resources, and create authentic connections with members of shared community.
Tuesdays, 6:30-8pm
NOW ENROLLING FOR FALL GROUP: September 3rd - October 8th
Virtual meetings via zoom
curiosity + connection: an information + support group about PDA
Open to parents + carers of young people with a PDA profile, whether self-assessed or professionally diagnosed, as well as those who are questioning whether PDA might describe their child’s experience.
This 6 session group offers an opportunity for education, support, and community building, and draws from the wisdom of lived experiences of PDAers, as well as LGBTQIA+ and autistic-inclusive adaptations of trauma-informed, neuroscience-based parenting books, podcasts and resources.
Once monthly, WEDNESDAYS BEGINNING JUNE 12TH
IN PERSON GROUP: 5:30-7PM
VIRTUAL GROUP: 3:30-5PM
The cost of the group is offered at self-selected sliding scale: $25-45 per session. If cost is a barrier to accessibility, please let us know on the interest form as we may have mutual aid funding available.
with Emmin Bickford (they/them), MSW, Supervisee in Social Work
Resident Therapist, The Properties of Light
In The Trans Tales: Narrative Storybuilding Group, members will develop their very own storybook telling the tale of a moment where they experienced trans joy or gender euphoria. Members will be walked through the process of narrating the moment of trans joy, illustrating that moment using colors and symbolism to express the associated feelings, and learn other skills such as book-binding to create a final story that showcases what makes each of them joyful. We hope you will join us to build more stories about trans joy and talk about identity with peers!
To be contacted with more information on future group sessions - please complete the form below.
Therapeutic D&D Groups!
Ruby Tippl, MSW, Supervisee in Social Work (Clinical Facilitator)
Emmin Bickford, MSW, Supervisee in Social Work (Dungeon Master)
Dungeons and Dragons(D&D) is a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game, in which players create fantasy characters and work together to battle monsters, go on quests, and collaboratively tell stories. You can find more information on the basics of the game here.
Therapeutic D&D groups are a neuro+queer affirming space for self-expression in which participants will build community, practice creative and collaborative problem-solving, and explore emotional experience through the lens of creative storytelling. No prior D&D experience needed; all levels of experience welcome!
All members will also participate in an intake session with the group facilitators - a 60 minute meeting in which members can share their goals and access needs, as well as begin building their character. Therapeutic D&D groups are for older teens and adults, and and are offered in-person (in Richmond, VA) or virtually based on interest of enrolling members.
*The cost for this group is $50/session; with $75/intake. This total can be paid in total ($500), or with payments made prior to each session.
DIVERGENT MINDS
SUPPORT GROUP FOR NEWLY IDENTIFIED AUTISTIC ADULTS
with Lindsey Bat, LCSW, CCTP (she/they)
Collaborative Service Provider
A 6 week virtual support group for those who have recently learned they are autistic, whether that be through self-identification or formal diagnosis.
In this group, you will find a supportive space to build positive neurodivergent identity, process and share about your experiences, practice unmasking, share and receive neuro-affirming resources, and create authentic connections with members of your neuro-community.
The group is facilitated by an autistic therapist and led by participants. We use a non-pathologizing, neurodiversity-affirming framework which centers and celebrates the autistic experience. We believe autistic space is a gift and a necessity.
Summer Book Club!
Caring for the Carers: Supporting Connection-Based Caregiving
A Literary Educational Group for Professionals
with Rachel Boggan, LCSW, ADHD-CCSP, CCTP
This literary educational group is a good fit for:
therapists of all kinds - play, mental health, speech, and occupational therapists - those looking for trauma-aware and neuro-inclusive psychoeducation and strategies to share with parents & caregivers struggling with challenging behaviors
folks facilitating, or interested in facilitating, parent & caregiver educational and/or support groups
educators, school social workers and psychologists, and other school-based support staff
parent and caregiver coaches, mentors, and others in supportive roles
This group will be held virtually via zoom, with live captioning provided.
Group participants must be able to access Brain-Body Parenting by Dr. Mona Delahooke via print or audiobook. Purchases from our bookshop link support our Mutual Aid Fund.
Registration is closed.
What is PDA? What does affirming caregiving look like? How do I do this??
If you are a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or chosen family member of an autistic/PDA person looking for neuro-affirming and inclusive community - learn more about this offering by clicking on the information/application form below!
We are excited to partner with facilitator Kristie Melson, LCSW, NIC-A on this offering for Summer 2023!
In-person group is offered in Richmond, Virginia. Virtual group is offered to residents of Virginia.
Registration is closed.
GROUNDING & GLIMMERS
AN OFFERING FOR PARENTS & CARERS OF TRANS & NON-BINARY YOUNG PEOPLE
Join us for this no-cost virtual offering for parents, grandparents, and caregivers of trans, non-binary and gender expansive young people! This is an opportunity to learn more about caring for our nervous systems in times of societal threat (grounding), and practice ways to reorient our brains + bodies to attune to safety and create space for joy (glimmers).
Led by Kristie Melson, LCSW, NIC-A
Kristie (she/her) is an EMDR certified, licensed clinical social worker who collaborates with The Properties of Light to provide parent and caregiver support services in individual and group settings.
Registration is closed.