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AANE November 2026 Newsletter
Early Diagnosis and Later Discovery
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For generations, autism and ADHD were not widely understood, and many people are only now discovering they’re Neurodivergent as adults. Since diagnostic criteria broadened in the mid-1990s, a growing generation has known from childhood. This month, we share personal reflections on both paths and the gifts and challenges each can bring. Don’t miss our workshop, Realizing Your Autistic Identity in Adulthood, on January 21. Register today!
AANE Events
Want to know about AANE’s upcoming programs, support groups, social activities, and more? To receive weekly event emails and AANE Public Statement Alerts, sign up here!
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Looking Back on an Early Autism Diagnosis
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At any age, an autism diagnosis can open the door to understanding, support, and community. But how those closest to the individual respond to that diagnosis can have lasting effects. Executive Director Brenda Dater reflects on raising a daughter who has understood her Autistic identity since early childhood and why the attitudes surrounding a diagnosis matter just as much as the diagnosis itself.
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Last Chance to Register! LifeNet Information Session – November 4
AANE’s LifeNet program provides personalized, team-based support to help Autistic adults in Massachusetts navigate daily life. Picture what life could look like with LifeNet, and join us for a free online information session.
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LifeMAP Info Session – November 19, 2026
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Wherever you are in understanding your Autistic or Neurodivergent identity, LifeMAP coaching is built around your goals. Autistic and similarly Neurodivergent adults and older teens work one-to-one with a coach to explore what matters to them and identify practical steps forward. Self-identified individuals are welcome. No diagnosis is required. Learn more at our free online information session on November 19, 7:00 – 8:00 PM ET. It’s our final information session of the year!
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A Revolutionary Approach to Organization – December 8, 2026
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Join KC Davis, MA, LPC, author of How to Keep House While Drowning, for a presentation of concrete strategies for managing executive functioning challenges and home care, followed by a live troubleshooting session. KC will review real-life scenarios and pictures submitted by the audience and help us untangle them one by one. Registrants will receive the link to submit a question for KC, but no submission is required to attend and learn!
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Don’t miss these upcoming AANE presentations:
For All
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Click the buttons below to view other upcoming events and support groups!
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Check out these helpful AANE resources:
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Two Journeys in Conversation
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Discovering you’re Autistic as a child and discovering it as an adult can lead to very different experiences and to more common ground than you might expect. Watch two AANE staff members talk candidly about how the timing of their discovery shaped their identity and self-understanding.
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Here are some helpful links for adults in our community:
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Early Diagnosis: A Path to Self-Advocacy
A childhood diagnosis can open the door to helpful supports, but a young child may not fully understand what it means. Read a personal reflection on being identified with ADHD in childhood and on why keeping the conversation about neurodivergence open as a child grows makes such a difference.
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Realization Later in Life: A Path to Self-Discovery
For many people who grew up in the 1950s and ’60s, autism was never considered as an explanation for feeling different. Read one retired teacher’s reflections on discovering he was Autistic late in life and the changes that have given him a new understanding of his past.
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Don’t miss these services AANE provides for parents and families:
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Later Discovery: A Path Forward Together
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There is no single right way to come to understand yourself as Autistic and no single right time. For many who make this discovery as adults, it brings a chance to make sense of the past and look ahead with new understanding. Read a letter from the presenters of AANE’s upcoming workshop, Realizing Your Autistic Identity in Adulthood, and register today! |
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Learn more about AANE programs, support, and training for professionals:
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LifeMAP
Individualized life coaching program for Autistic older teens & adults
Whether you have a diagnosis, are seeking one, or are exploring self-identification, LifeMAP is here for you. Join us on November 19 to learn more about LifeMAP. It’s our final information session of the year!
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LifeNet
Team-based support to help Massachusetts Autistic adults optimize independence
LifeNet provides support to adults in Massachusetts to help them live the lives they want and doesn’t require an official autism diagnosis to participate. Learn more about AANE’s LifeNet program, and don’t miss the LifeNet Info Session on November 4.
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Neurodiverse Couples Institute
Resources for couples and couples therapists/coaches
AANE’s Neurodiverse Couples Institute online courses for therapists and coaches now have APA- or ASWB ACE-approved CE credit options available. Learn more about course offerings.
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Need More Information or Just Need to Talk?
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