Neurodivergent. Highly sensitive. Empath. Jack of all trades. Trivia winner. Deep diver.

Unique. Alternative. Animal whisperer. Eccentric. Young at heart. An old soul.

If you've considered yourself any or all of the above and are wondering if you might be autistic,

this is the educational group for you.

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What is this group?

This 4 week virtual group will answer many of your questions about what autism is, what autistic traits are, and whether or not you are autistic. This group is built to be queer & trans affirming with information centered on autistic queer and trans experiences. It will be limited to a maximum of 12 participants. This group is for adults (18 and older) located in the Washington or Idaho. It is not a therapy group or a substitute for individual therapy.

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Who is running it?

The information is provided by and the process is guided by an autistic queer & trans therapist (Dr. Kade Sharp) who has spent years uncovering this truth for many clients and deep-diving into the research, experiences, and knowledge of autistic scholars and individuals. It is co-facilitated by an allied Bachelors-level intern (Kennedy Noyes) who is passionate about helping people figure out who they are and how to support their mental well-being.

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When is it?

Each weekly session will happen on Saturdays from 11am to 1pm on Zoom. The sessions are 2 hours at a time. The dates for the next group will be: 3/22, 4/5, 4/19, and 4/26. If you apply to the group, we ask that you commit to attending all four sessions.

There is an optional extra meeting on 3/29 from 11-1pm for folks who would like to "body double" or need assistance to complete some of their assessments.

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How much does it cost?

The first round of this group is donation-based. At a typical fee, each session would be $100 ($400 for the entirety of the group.) We ask that you pay whatever you are able to Kade via Venmo or mailed cash or check. Please do not send donations before the day of our first group meeting. There are no refunds.​​

If those options are inaccessible, you could donate all or a portion of the fees to a non-profit in support of autistic individuals, such as ASAN or AWN, or a local LGBTQIA+ non-profit organization, such as Benton-Franklin PFLAG. ​​

Participants will not be turned away due to lack of funds. As this is donation-based, $0 is valid. We ask that you individually assess your financial situation, access to resources, and value placed upon the group's content to decide how much to donate for the sessions.

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What is expected of group attendees/participants?

There will be screening tools and assessments for you to fill out (which will be sent to you virtually when you are accepted into the group.) These can be completed any time between your acceptance into the group and the evening of 3/29/25. Group participants are expected to be respectful of others' identities and experiences. Discussion and questions are encouraged but not required; typed or verbal communication is encouraged during open conversation times. You do not have to disclose your screening and assessment tool scores to other attendees. It is expected that you will attend all sessions (aside from the 3/29 optional session.) Joining via video is encouraged but not required. We ask that participants are fully clothed and behaviors are considered "safe for work" during the group meetings.

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What's the difference between self-identifying as autistic and being diagnosed as autistic?

Medical systems have put up many barriers for individuals seeking clarity around whether they are or aren't autistic. Often you have to wait for many months (if not years) and spend thousands of dollars- this is particularly true for adults, as most insurances do not cover autism evaluations for adults.

At the end of this group, you will likely know whether or not you are autistic. There are pros and cons to being diagnosed as autistic, as well as self-identifying as autistic, which we will discuss in group, but the insight from this group may lead you to seek a diagnosis. People who tend to seek a medical diagnosis are people who would benefit from school/college accommodations and have no other qualifying diagnoses, are on or applying for Disability funds, or have other services they would like to access but need this specific diagnosis. Generally, individuals feel confident self-identifying after working with a skilled facilitator with lived experience.

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Do I become a therapy client of Kade's by attending this group?

No, this is not a therapy group or individual therapy; this is a time-limited educational group. Current or previous clients of Kade's can enroll in this group. Attending this group does not prevent you from working with Kade or Kennedy in the future.