SWAN Autistic Identity Group: Thursdays, 1.30pm - 3pm

Six-week group for recently discovered autistic women and non-binary individuals. Open to those who self-identify or are formally diagnosed.

Come along for our 6-week group for recently discovered autistic women and non-binary people 18+ who live, work or study in Scotland.

This group is open to all women, both cis and trans, and non-binary people who have recently discovered their autistic identity - this includes self-identification and clinical diagnosis.

For more information on all our groups and events please visit www.swanscotland.org

Dates of sessions

This group runs for six weeks on Thursdays, 1.30pm - 3pm

Thurs 23rd April, 1.30pm - 3pm

Thurs 30th April, 1.30pm - 3pm

Thurs 7th May, 1.30pm - 3pm

Thurs 14th May, 1.30pm - 3pm

Thurs 21st May, 1.30pm - 3pm

Thurs 28th May, 1.30pm - 3pm

For more information on this group, click this link.

This group will be a safe space for you to come along, explore more about your autistic identity, ask questions, listen, and get to know other newly discovered autistic women and non-binary individuals.

Each week the session lasts about 1.5 hours and we will explore a topic, have a chance for discussion and look at other resources/supports available. As with all SWAN groups we aim to make the groups as accessible as possible, some examples of this are you are welcome to have your camera on or off and you can join in the conversation and use the chat function as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.

What we cover:

Reframing Autism: Challenging myths, stereotypes, and unhelpful labels, reframing autism through neurodiversity, intersectionality and the autistic spectrum and exploring our different journeys to autistic discovery.

Making sense of the world: Exploring the unique ways we take in, process, and respond to information and our environments — including monotropism, sensory experiences (both positive and challenging), and how others’ reactions affect us.

Feeling heard and understood: Examining communication, advocacy, and the double empathy problem in different contexts.

Connecting and Belonging: Exploring how relationships, masking, identity, and safety influence and shape our sense of community and belonging.

Mental Health and Wellbeing: Exploring what meaningful self-care looks like for autistic people, taking into account the complexities that come with co-occurring mental health challenges, finding accessible and effective support, and other key factors affecting wellbeing, like alexithymia and burnout

Autistic Identity and the life you want: Working with your autistic identity, embracing interests, passions and focusing on what is meaningful to you.

More information about the group, what to expect and how to let us know if there is anything we can do to make the group more accessible will be emailed to you about a week before the group starts.

(Note: Our Autistic Identity Group was previously called our Post-Diagnosis Group).

About SWAN

This group is being hosted by SWAN.

Who we are:

Founded as a charity (SCIO) in 2012 SWAN is an autistic-led Charity, providing services run by and for autistic women and non-binary people across Scotland.

SWAN is an organisation led by autistic women, girls and non-binary people for the benefit of autistic women, girls and non-binary people. We create the change we’d like to see in our lives and in society.We do this by providing opportunities to connect with and learn from one another through information sharing, peer support and mentoring. We work in partnership with autistic women, girls and non-binary people and others to drive the change our community wants to see, and to improve the lives of autistic women, girls and non-binary people in Scotland.

Note: SWAN is inclusive of all autistic-identity - clinical or non-clinical diagnosis, NHS or private, self-diagnosed or self-identified.

What we do:

We provide a range of autistic-led services for autistic women, girls and non-binary people, including online peer support, wellbeing webinars, pre and post diagnosis support, local meet-up groups and short-term counselling.

SWAN also delivers specialist, autistic-led training and consultancy to increase understanding of autism and support you to develop autism-inclusive practices.

All of our work is informed by the lived experience of autistic women, girls and non-binary people.

For further information on any of our services please contact info@swanscotland.org or visit www.swanscotland.org

Accessibility -

We aim to make our groups as accessible as possible. You will be sent more information on how the groups run, what to expect and options around accessibility ahead of the group running.

If there is anything we can do to make the experience more accessible for you please do get in touch with us ahead of the group - info@swanscotland.org