Upstream Parenting

• A peer-run, mutually-supportive group for parents/guardians who support kids (of any age) that don't fit into our current mainstream expectations. 
• These brain-based differences include but are not limited to: '2e', Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Sensory Processing differences, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma.
• In our shared-learning groups, we focus on: supporting one another, our personal, family and our community wellbeing; ongoing learning about neurodiversity; self-advocacy and co-advocacy . 
• We hope to amplify neurodivergent voices in our community and disseminate knowledge of practices which affirm and celebrate differences across all intersectional experiences. 
• We aim to support families in identifying their strengths, their optimal environments and in rooting themselves in a healthy, good-fit life.

We strive to support non-speakers, and those whose primary language is not English. 

We also seek to increase our available pool of peer interpretation support; please reach out if you'd like to volunteer your skills.

This Group is for Parents and Guardians who are:

• Feeling isolated, or that others don’t seem to understand their kid or their parenting.  
• Finding that following conventional parenting advice is causing blowups, meltdowns and/or relationship ruptures. 
• Noticing that relationships between their child and same aged peers are challenging. 
• Finding that there is a poor fit between their child and their school.
• Trying to navigate a 504 or IEP process, providers or other services in the area.  
• Seeking help navigating the How-Tos of getting an evaluation for their child, or what to do with a new diagnosis.  
• Hoping to connect with other parents who want to learn more about their own &/or their child’s learning, developmental and neurocognitive differences.
• Interested in sharing local and online resources to better support themselves and their family.
• Wanting to amplify advocacy efforts around neurodiversity.
• Wanting to celebrate the cultural and community resilience that arises when differences among us are met with curiosity and validation. 
• Ready to help change the dominant narratives, stigma and pathology around neurodivergence and differences.   

Our parent /guardian groups are held with a Hybrid format: 

 in-person at the BASE and on Zoom. 

Our current group is held

Weekly on Tuesday Mornings, 10-11:30am 

Check our Calendar for dates!

You're welcome to come as you are.

Our UPstream Parenting group’s current flow:

During the first hour:

• visit our living shared agreements
• short grounding excercise
• a round of check-ins from anyone who feels like sharing
• return to topics that are arising for folx in mutual support and shared learning
• closing

Our final 30 minutes are often spent:

• exploring useful tools and resources 
• less structured connection time 

You are welcome here.