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Spectrum Events

Spectrum Events: Connecting, Educating, and Celebrating Diversity

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Is there an autism-related event happening in your area?  Please add it to our calendar to get the word out!  You can also send us events that you would like to add to the calendar using our “Contact Us” page.

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Recurring

Knitting & Needlecraft Social Group for Adults

Virtual

Do you enjoy crafts such as knitting, crocheting, sewing, and embroidery? AANE has created a new online group for you! The group is open to Autistic adults regardless of skill level or diagnosis. In addition to meeting online via Zoom, group members also have the option to participate in the AANE Knitting & Needlecrafts Online Discussion Forum, so that they can share tips, patterns, and positive encouragement in between meetings. (This forum is hosted on the Google Groups platform.) The group will meet every second Sunday of the month on Zoom. Each meeting will have time to work on individual projects and get feedback from group members.

$10
Recurring

Touchpoints Training for Mental Health Clinicians and Developmental Services Providers (JAN 2025)

Virtual

The Touchpoints Approach can be integrated into mental health clinical therapeutic theory and practice, as well as into developmental evaluation and therapeutic services. This training applies Touchpoints to help providers nurture strengths-based collaborative partnerships with families especially when families are affected by children’s special needs.

Brazelton Touchpoints has proven to improve provider and parent knowledge of child development, reduce parental stress, and enhance collaborative family-provider partnerships in service of healthier family-child relationships. Touchpoints implements a deep understanding of children’s behavior as a primary family engagement and treatment strategy by anticipating known periods of increased stress in family functioning that are associated with developmental processes. Touchpoints employs developmental-relational care to effectively manage behavioral, emotional, or relational concerns that might arise about a child.

In this training, participants practice strengths-based strategies to nurture collaborative partnerships with families in service of emotional well-being and parental competence. They also gain knowledge of theory and practice in delivering culturally-humble, relationship-based, developmentally-informed psychotherapeutic services. While Brazelton Touchpoints is a preventive model of care, this adaptation for mental health and developmental clinicians incorporates its theory and practice into intervention and treatment, taking into account effects of trauma and healing upon development and family functioning. Touchpoints is designed to complement existing psychotherapeutic skills to enhance diverse clinical orientations and techniques. These may include infant and early childhood mental health dyadic and family systems, child-parent psychotherapy, interpersonal and psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, parent guidance, and developmental play therapy.

Course format: This course consists 28 training hours including six monthly one-hour virtual reflective practice sessions. Each of the five modules takes about five hours to complete, and includes a live, interactive Zoom session, assignments for independent practice, and online discussion. Attendance is required at all live sessions. Participants who complete the course will receive a certificate. This course is approved for 20.25 Continuing Education Credits for physicians, nurses, social workers, and psychologists. Learn more.

Session Dates and Times: Live sessions are on Mondays, 12-4 pm ET / 9 am – 1 pm PT

01/27/2025
02/03/2025
02/10/2025
02/24/2025
03/03/2025
03/10/2025
The live sessions will be followed by six monthly Reflective Practice calls; the schedule will be set prior to the end of the main training.

What you will learn:

Strategies for building partnerships with parents that promote family strengths and emphasize preventive emotional health as well as therapeutic healing
Techniques for integrating strengths-based attitudes and relationship-based practices into therapeutic care for individuals and families
Strategies for strengthening parent-child relationships as a key influence on a child’s development and emotional functioning
How to understand the processes of child development that create stress and conflict within families and how these offer opportunities for deepened relationship and healing
Treatment techniques to address the impact of trauma and adversity within and upon the developmental process
A framework to understand why children’s behavior can sometimes be challenging and confusing
Techniques for talking with families about child development concerns
How to actively listen to families and collaboratively solve problems related to child development or a child-family relationship
Number of participants:

Minimum of 10

Maximum of 20

$895
Recurring

Horario De Oficina Virtual

Virtual

Reunase personalmente con un especialista en apoyo familiar de Care Parent Network y obtenga respuestas a sus preguntas

15 minutos

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZclcemqrjMoG9AFofxva-CcBTps0Vq-t0I7

Recurring

Virtual Office Hours in English

Virtual

English Speaking

Meet 1:1 with a Care Parent Network Family Support Specialist and get your question answered

Sign up for a 15 minute time slot

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctduyvqzkrGtbcF1DZUfTQvK-Vj2a2uQH_

Recurring

Multi-Session Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Interest Group for Adults

Virtual

This interest group is intended for post-high school adults who fulfill the player pre-requisites outlined below:

Participants need to have played Dungeons and Dragons before either at AANE or elsewhere.
They must also be familiar with character creation, general rules of D&D Edition 5, cooperation within a team, and following campaign rules and storyline.
Each participant is expected to attend all 8 meetings in order to help his/her team advance as far as possible in the campaign.
This interest series will be using a campaign selected by the Dungeon Masters. Participants must agree to follow the rules of the campaign at all times.
Because this is an interactive/collaborative game. Participants need to be able to participate fully in each game session.
Please note that this is a two-step process (application and registration). If you are interested in this group, please submit the application above.

$100
Recurring

Multi-Session Support Group for Women (40-60)

Virtual

This “closed” support group is designed for Autistic women (40-60) looking to build an ongoing connection with a small community of other women. This “closed” support group also gives women an opportunity to voice their concerns and frustrations and lets them acknowledge hard-won and unexpected victories. Common topics of discussion are:

Masking/camouflaging
Sensory sensitivities/overloads
Relationships
Self-care
Empathy
Dates
January 15
January 29
February 12
February 26
March 12
March 26
April 9
April 16

$100
Recurring

Horario De Oficina Virtual

Virtual

Reunase personalmente con un especialista en apoyo familiar de Care Parent Network y obtenga respuestas a sus preguntas

15 minutos

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvf-6pqzouG9NShzJ5s0jHH6rTTllk77QE

Recurring

Virtual Office Hours in English

Virtual

English Speaking

Meet 1:1 with a Care Parent Network Family Support Specialist and get your question answered

Register here for a 15 minute time slot

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrcuupqj8sGdaA6YXsQxrypGI733p_Esxy

Recurring

Multi-Session Support Group for Parents of Gender Diverse Adults & Teens (14+)

Virtual

This multi-session support group is designed for parents/family members of Autistic adults and teens with who are transgender or who are exploring or questioning their gender identity.

Gender identity is distinct from sexual orientation or preference. Gender identity is one’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither–how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. Autistic individuals may be more likely to identify with a gender/s that is different than the sex assigned at birth. The intersection of these two identities is common, but not often talked about in the same space. When an adult child questions their gender identity parents are often initially overwhelmed by questions and concerns, and more questions may surface as their child continues on their journey. This is not a therapeutic support group.

The group offers a combination of facilitated peer support and information for parents who are starting or continuing on this journey with their child. “Closed” support groups for parents have the same members (12) for a set number of sessions (8). These groups are ideal for parents who want to go beyond sharing their stories with newcomers each time at open support group meetings. Other adult family members, such as siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, or even close family friends can also join these groups. These closed support groups also let parents give voice to their concerns and frustrations and celebrate their victories. “Closed” support groups offer facilitated peer support for parents who are facing these and other challenges.

Dates
January 15
January 29
February 12
February 26
March 12
March 26
April 9
April 23

$180
Recurring

Multi-Session Beginner Dungeons & Dragons Group for Adults

Virtual

Come learn the basics of tabletop roleplaying from an experienced Dungeon Master. During this 8 week campaign of Dungeons and Dragons using the D&D 2024 Handbook (to be released Sept 2024) you will be guided through an adventure that will introduce you to the gameplay and storytelling of the world’s most popular roleplaying game! This is a great way to get involved in a new hobby that will give you the skills and confidence to join games with more experienced players and open the doors to a huge community.

No previous tabletop gaming experience required. Players will need to be able to use zoom, Roll 20 and D&D Beyond (websites), and install a browser extension (Beyond 20) with verbal and written directions. If you are unsure if this group is a good fit for you, or you are in need of specific accommodations, please email groups@aane.org.

Please note that these dates are subject to fluctuation. You will have one set up 1:1 meeting with the facilitator and 7-8 group meetings of game play.

Dates
January 22
January 29
February 5
February 12
February 19
February 26
March 5
March 12
March 19

$180
Recurring

Multi-Session Support Group for Women (35-50)

Virtual

This multi-session support group is designed for Autistic women (35-50). Through this support group, women (35-50) can build an ongoing connection with a small community of other women. AANE “closed” support groups for women also give women an opportunity to voice their concerns and frustrations. It also lets them acknowledge hard-won and unexpected victories. Common topics of discussion are:

Masking/camouflaging
Sensory sensitivities/overloads
Relationships
Self-care
Empathy
Dates
January 22
January 29
February 5
February 12
February 19
February 26
March 5
March 12
Masking/camouflaging
Sensory sensitivities/overloads
Relationships
Self-care
Empathy

$100

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