Group Programs
Straight Up Psychological Services will be offering small group programs face-to-face in Griffith, NSW from October 2026, with online groups also planned where there is sufficient interest.
The first program will be The A–Z of Autism & ADHD, a six-week group for parents and carers who want to better understand their neurodivergent child.
The A-Z of Autism & ADHD
There’s more to understanding your child than learning a list of Autistic or ADHD traits.
You might know that your child is Autistic, an ADHDer or both. But that diagnosis doesn't necessarily tell you why they can hold everything together at school and fall apart when they get home. Why getting started can be so difficult, even when they know exactly what they need to do. Why they might talk endlessly about one thing but struggle to tell you what they need. Or why noise, change, socialising or everyday demands can sometimes become too much.
The A–Z of Autism & ADHD is a six-week parent and carer program designed to help make sense of the experiences underneath the behaviours.
Across the six weeks, we'll explore neurodivergence and identity, emotional regulation and burnout, masking, communication and self-advocacy, relationships and connection, executive functioning, interoception and sensory needs.
The aim isn't to teach you everything there is to know about autism and ADHD. Six weeks couldn't possibly do that. Instead, you'll build a broader understanding of how neurodivergence impacts everyday life, along with practical ways to better understand and support your child.
This group may be for you if...
You are:
- the parent or carer of an Autistic, ADHD or AuDHD person
- trying to understand behaviours that don't always make sense from the outside
- finding that strategies that seem to work for other children don't necessarily work for yours
- wanting to understand concepts such as burnout, masking, executive functioning, interoception and sensory needs
- looking for a neuroaffirming approach that focuses on understanding and supporting your child rather than trying to make them appear less neurodivergent.
First Griffith group
Facilitated by: Colleen O'Connor, Registered Psychologist
Starts: Sunday 18 October 2026
Time: 10 am–12 pm
Duration: 6 weeks
Location: Straight Up Psychological Services, Griffith NSW
Cost: $660 per person, including GST
Places: Limited to 8 participants
Each participant will also receive a workbook to use throughout the program.
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The A–Z of Autism & ADHD may also be offered as a live online group via Zoom if there is sufficient interest.
If Griffith isn't practical for you, or you would prefer to attend online, complete the Expression of Interest form below and select the online option. You'll be contacted when dates for an online group become available.
How to enrol
How to enrol
Click Enrol Now to go to the Straight Up Psychological Services client portal.
Select Book A Group, choose Straight Up Psychological Services – Group as the location, then navigate to 18 October in the calendar and select The A–Z of Autism & ADHD.
You'll then be prompted to register or log in to complete your enrolment.
An invoice for the full program fee of $660 will be sent to you after registration and must be paid in full before the group commences. If you would prefer to pay by instalments, please add this to the Notes section when registering.
Understanding Autism: Looking Beyond the Stereotypes
If you've been trying to make sense of the conflicting information about autism, you're not alone.
Trying to understand autism can feel confusing. With so many different perspectives and opinions, it can be difficult to know what to believe, who to trust, or how it all fits together.
You might be asking yourself...
- Why do I keep hearing different things about autism?
- Why does my child react so strongly to things that don't seem to bother other children?
- Could autism explain why I've always felt different?
- How can I support someone I care about without relying on stereotypes?
If so, you're in the right place.
You don't need all the answers today. You just need a place to start making sense of them.
This course is for you if...
You're looking for a clearer understanding of autism, whether you're:
- a parent or caregiver wanting to better understand your child
- wondering whether autism explains your own experiences
- recently diagnosed and trying to make sense of what it means for you
- supporting a partner, family member or friend
- just curious to learn more from a neuroaffirming perspective
Understanding autism shouldn't be so confusing.
This course brings the pieces together.
We'll explore where common ideas about autism come from, why they don't always tell the whole story, and what we discover when we look beyond stereotypes to the experiences beneath them. Whether you're trying to understand yourself or someone you care about, you'll leave with a clearer understanding of autism and the diversity of autistic experiences.
Why I created this course
When I first learned about my own neurodivergence, I was confused too. And I'm a psychologist.
There was so much information available. Much of it was contradictory or focused only on observable behaviours. I wanted to understand what autistic people were actually experiencing beneath the surface.
Over time, I immersed myself in research, professional development and lived experience accounts from autistic people. I started noticing the same themes emerging again and again.
This course brings those ideas together in one place to provide a respectful, neuroaffirming introduction to autism.
