Looking For In Person Group

[Guest guest]

I am a 23 year old NT dating a 35 year old AS we are looking for some kind of in

person groups that we could attend. We live in Anaheim, CA near Disneyland.

I thinking meeting other couples with this " issue " could help us alot.

Do you know of any? We cant afford much, if anything at all. So free or dirt

cheap ones would be best!

[Guest guest]

Kariblum...

It might be worth your while to contact the Long Beach ASA chapter. They do have a support group for AS adults, but I'm pretty sure the focus isn't on relationships work. From my past experience with their facilitators, there's a fair degree of dependence on the ASA chapter itself to do the organizing and handle some of the details of keeping the group together. If you do contact the Long Beach ASA chapter, rather than mentioning the AS adult support group, it might be helpful to find out from some of the longer-term older adults who've helped that support group and other activities whether there is a group -- most likely professionally led --that might meet your needs. Internet discussion groups are one thing. In-person groups are quite another, and all I can advise about them is that if they aren't professionally facilitated with clear boundaries already established and good core professional values on the part of the facilitator(s), things can go downhill very quickly or never really start very well at all.

Another source to check out in the greater LA area would be Jeff Strully of the Jay Nolan Foundation/Jay Nolan Community Services. There may or may not be groups that Jeff knows about, but he's fairly well informed about what's going on in the greater LA area. In Jeff''s instance, it may not hurt just to drop my name so there's "some connection".

Finally, to the best of my understanding, there have been efforts to start a GRASP group in the greater LA area, and I think the effort has met with some uneven success. If the current or former facilitator of that group is still available, he may have information either about what GRASP might be doing there, or whether there are other community-based, locally led support resources that might fit your needs or interests. The biggest challenge will be in finding a situation where the same person or persons you'll be meeting with have a chance to work with both of you. For the most part, "support" is generally available to just one of two partners in the relationship, and in the instance of a mixed relationship such as yours, this might be a real challenge to find a system, program, or group that might address what I can only guess might be your differing needs.

The one thing you're likely to encounter for anything involving mature adults is a requirement to "pay." Services to adults don't come cheap, and they aren't like insurance-based services for children or adolescents. Also, many groups aren't what their publicity or their facilitators say they are. There are an awful lot of poorly trained, inexperienced "new" professionals who profess to understand ASD who really don't, and they can inflict some pretty horrendous damage. Up-front payment costs and professional inexperience are among the reasons the ASD adult community isn't well served.

Finally, the fact that there's a substantial age difference between the two of you plus what might be a relatively short time duration of your relationship could make finding the right support process for both of you a rather rather quest. It's important to kinow that most "counselors" who really do have a good street reputation are generally oriented towards working with people who've been together for quite some time, and that may or may not be your "situation."

Good luck.

N. Meyer

way up here in Portland, OR.

Looking For In Person Group > >I am a 23 year old NT dating a 35 year old AS we are looking for some kind of in person groups that we could attend. We live in Anaheim, CA near Disneyland. > >I thinking meeting other couples with this "issue" could help us alot. > >Do you know of any? We cant afford much, if anything at all. So free or dirt cheap ones would be best! > > > >------------------------------------ > > "We each have our own way of living in the world, together we are like a symphony. >Some are the melody, some are the rhythm, some are the harmony >It all blends together, we are like a symphony, and each part is crucial. >We all contribute to the song of life." > ...Sondra > > We might not always agree; but TOGETHER we will make a difference. > > ASPIRES is a closed, confidential, moderated list. >Responsibility for posts to ASPIRES lies entirely with the original author. > Do NOT post mail off-list without the author's permission. > When in doubt, please refer to our list rules at: > http://www.aspires-relationships.com/info_rules.htm > ASPIRES ~ Climbing the mountain TOGETHER > http://www.aspires-relationships.com >

[Guest guest]

 Finally, to the best of my

understanding, there have been efforts to start a GRASP

group in the greater LA area, and I think the effort has

met with some uneven success. If the current or former

facilitator of that group is still available, he may have

information either about what GRASP might be doing there,

or whether there are other community-based, locally led

support resources that might fit your needs or interests.

The biggest challenge will be in finding a situation where

the same person or persons you'll be meeting with have a

chance to work with both of you. For the most part,

"support" is generally available to just one of two

partners in the relationship, and in the instance of a

mixed relationship such as yours, this might be a real

challenge to find a system, program, or group that might

address what I can only guess might be your differing

needs.

GRASP hasn't really taken off in California.  Their only group is

located in the San Diego area.  It's purpose is as a general support

and social group for individuals on the spectrum.

I live in California, and know of no free resources designed for

couples.

Best,

~CJ