Thrive Together: Bridging Hearts Across Neurotypes

An 8-week online educational therapy group for neurotypical partners of late-identified Autistic and/or ADHD people

— ENROLLING FOR FALL 2024 GROUP COHORT —

At a glance:

Who’s it for?

Who are the therapists?

When and where?

How much does it cost?

Why this group?

Despite what so many of us have been cultured to believe, good relationships take hard work.

For those of us in mixed neurotype partnerships, this work can feel even harder than what we expected, and can leave everyone feeling misunderstood and exhausted.

What if there was a space for neurotypical folks to come together and learn more about their neurodivergent partners' experience?

A space to safely begin to unlearn all of the lessons about Autism, ADHD and other ND identities that we’ve been taught over the years that harm both our partners and our relationships. A circle to ask the questions, to feel understood, and to seek to understand.

In this 8 week process and education group, you will join with other neurotypical partners along with neurodivergent and neurotypical co-facilitators to do just that. 

A place for neurotypical partners to...

• Learn and unlearn about autism and ADHD,

• Be vulnerable,

• Receive support,

• Be courageous,

• Ask questions,

• And process your feelings…

… in a group of people who are all going through something similar, led by a neurotypical therapist and a neurodivergent therapist who specialize in neurodiversity and relationships.

This group is explicitly neurodiversity-affirmative, meaning, we don’t see neurodivergence as a “disorder” or “deficit,” but rather, as a natural expression of human biodiversity. Just like humans vary in our hair color, ethnicity, body size and shape, gender, personality, and countless other traits, we also vary in our neurology. We believe neurodiversity is a good thing! 

And… learning later in life that your partner is neurodivergent often comes with some unique challenges. It can involve confusion, clarity, grief, relief, anger, joy, fear, laughter, and conflict - maybe all in the same week!

We’re guided by the principle: Nobody’s broken. We just have to re-learn each other.

In this group, we’ll teach you about Autism, ADHD, and mixed-neurotype communication skills. We’ll share resources and insights we’ve learned from our professional and lived experience, and group members will learn from each other, too. We’ll also cover the following topics:

• The Double Empathy Problem 

• Sensory profiles 

• Interoception

• Alexithymia

• Attachment 

• Masking 

• Burnout 

• Division of labor 

What this group is NOT: 

• A replacement for individual therapy. 

We’re not going to be focused on your individual mental health problems, like treating your depression, coping with anxiety, or processing childhood trauma. It’s absolutely fine if you have some ongoing struggles, but the focus of the group will be on learning about neurodiversity, and exploring your experiences in your romantic relationship. 

• A replacement for couple therapy. 

We hope our group helps you create more clarity, connection, and satisfaction in your romantic relationship! But it’s not a replacement for couple therapy where it’s needed. We encourage you to seek out couple therapy so you and your partner can learn how to repair the hurt and disconnection between you, or gain the clarity that it’s time to separate.  

• A place to bash or vent about your neurodivergent partner. 

Grief, anger, disappointment, resentment, and other painful emotions are absolutely welcome. We’ll help you identify and process those feelings from a place that is respectful of everyone, including those not in the room. If that doesn’t feel right for where you’re at in your journey, we completely understand, and encourage you to seek out individual therapy. 

interested?

reach out for a free phone consultation

with Madeline or Noelle.