Connecting Across Neurotypes: understanding Level 1 autism
A 6-week virtual group for parents, partners, and loved ones of autistic teens and adults, focused on Level 1 autism. Learn what is actually happening for the person you love, and how to support them without losing yourself in the process.
Facilitated by Shannon Tantillo, LCSW-S and Stephanie Bender
Connect Clinical Services, Houston
Request Group Information
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Or call: (713) 564-5146
Who This Group Is For
This group is for the people who love an autistic person
Connecting Across Neurotypes is a psychoeducational group for parents, caregivers, partners, and loved ones of autistic teens and adults. It is not for the autistic person themselves, and it is not therapy. It is an education series built for the people standing alongside them.
Who this group is about: we focus on Level 1 autism, the support level formerly described as Asperger’s or “high-functioning” autism. Level 1 autistic people usually speak verbally and live independently while needing support with social connection, executive functioning, and sensory and emotional regulation. If the person you love has higher support needs, call us and we will point you toward a better fit.
If you have ever sat in your car after a hard conversation wondering what you did wrong, or watched someone you love shut down and had no idea what to do next, you already know why a group like this exists. Most of us were never taught how autistic communication works. We were left to guess, and guessing is exhausting.
Over six weeks, we work through the questions that tend to keep people up at night:
There is a difference between someone who will not do something and someone who cannot do something in that moment. Learning to tell them apart changes almost everything about how you respond.
Our Approach
A neurodiversity-affirming lens
We understand autism as a natural variation of human experience. That framing is not a way of minimizing anything. We take the strengths, the challenges, and the real support needs of autistic people seriously, all at the same time.
What that means in practice is that the group is not organized around fixing anyone or training them out of who they are. It is organized around understanding. When you understand what a shutdown actually is, or why a request that seems simple to you lands as overwhelming, your response changes on its own. You stop fighting a version of the person that was never really there.
This group sits alongside the rest of our work at Connect Clinical Services. If you are looking for ongoing clinical support, you can read about our group therapy in Houston or our trauma therapy in Houston services.
What You Will Learn
Practical tools you can use the same week
Each session builds on the last. Across the six weeks, the group covers how to:
- Understand autistic communication, sensory experiences, and emotional regulation
- Recognize the difference between inability, overwhelm, and unwillingness
- Support executive functioning without creating dependence
- Understand autistic burnout, shutdowns, and meltdowns
- Reduce conflict and improve communication
- Support autonomy while providing meaningful guidance
- Build relationships based on trust, acceptance, and mutual understanding
This group is not about changing who your loved one is. It is about learning how to understand their experiences, strengthen connection, and create an environment where everyone can thrive.
The Details
When, where, and how much
Your Facilitators
Who leads this group
Shannon Tantillo
LCSW, LCDC, LCSW-S · Licensed Clinical Social Worker-Supervisor
Shannon brings CBT, DBT, EMDR, and trauma-informed practice to the group, and supervises its clinical content.
Stephanie Bender
Counseling Intern · Director of Neurofeedback
Stephanie works from a neuro-affirming, trauma-informed lens with Autistic and ADHD clients. She is a counseling intern practicing under clinical supervision.
Connect Clinical Services is a private-pay practice in Houston. We work with trauma, EMDR, neurofeedback, and group programming for adults and families. This education series grew out of what we kept hearing in our offices: the loved ones of autistic people wanted to understand more, and did not know where to go to learn it.
Common Questions
Questions people ask before they register
Is this group for my autistic child, or for me?
Is this therapy?
Does my loved one need a formal autism diagnosis for me to join?
Can I join if I do not live in Houston?
What happens if I miss a week?
How much does it cost, and how do I pay?
Save Your Spot
The group starts in September 2026 and space is limited. Call to ask questions or to register.
8100 Washington Ave, Suite 170, Houston TX 77007 • Group meets live on Zoom, open to participants across Texas
