*Safe & Sound* is a facilitated support space for those living inside grief—not as something to overcome, but as a life-altering experience that reshapes identity, relationships, and the body itself.

This group is rooted in both lived experience and professional training. It was shaped by my own history of parental alienation, family betrayal, scapegoating, and the loss of loved ones through deception, lies, and ruptured truth—forms of grief that are rarely acknowledged, yet deeply destabilizing. These losses often come with long stretches of heaviness: endless nights, indistinguishable days, withdrawal, numbness, and periods many quietly shame themselves for, including “bed-rotting.”

Here, these responses are understood as human, nervous-system-based reactions to profound loss—not personal failures.
Alongside lived experience, *Safe & Sound* is informed by my background as a psychology student with a minor in women’s studies, trauma-recovery yoga certification, Reiki certification, and over five years of coaching women navigating sexual trauma, familial abuse, and narcissistic abuse.

This space is held with both compassion and structure, honoring emotional safety, pacing, and choice.

Grief is not rushed or romanticized here. There is no expectation to control the process, perform healing, or offer insight on demand.

Silence is welcome. Language is optional. Presence is enough.

*Safe & Sound* exists to meet grief where it actually lives—in the body, in relationships, and in time—and to offer companionship where isolation and shame so often take hold.

Safe & Sound

Stephanie Rapp

Sharing a Bed with Grief

Online event

## Welcome to **Late Bloomers** 🌱

*A virtual gathering space for late-diagnosed neurodivergent women, survivors of csa, sa, na, and dv, and inclusive to gender‑diverse people/non-conforming identity.*

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### What to Expect in This Space

This is a **participatory** space. You can expect— and are invited into— engagement. I want to hear from you throughout our time together, in whatever ways feel accessible: speaking, chatting, listening, reflecting, or simply being present.
There is no pressure to perform, explain yourself, or have the “right” words.

***

### A Bit About Me (Your Host)

Before we begin, I want to share a little about myself.
I am late‑diagnosed autistic, living with complex PTSD and other co‑occurring experiences that fall under the neurodivergent umbrella. Needless to say—it has been an **exhaustive journey**.
One marked by strangely validating highs and devastating lows.
Many of us know this moment: when you finally realize you weren’t broken, difficult, or imagining things. You were autistic. And you were right all along. Somewhere deep in your body, you always knew—no matter how hard you tried to fit in—that something wasn’t aligning. For some, the diagnosis brought relief. For others, grief, rage, or disorientation. For many, all of it at once.
Every late‑diagnosis story is different. Every one is valid. Every one is beautiful.
Because **we are unique**.

***

### Trauma, Autism, and the Nervous System

I believe that autistic people with complex trauma often have an especially keen awareness of themselves and the world. Unfortunately, this sensitivity is frequently misunderstood or pathologized.
Research shows that many neurodivergent people experience heightened sensory and emotional input, with less neurological “gating” to buffer overstimulation. Over time, this can lead to shutdown, burnout, panic, or visible distress.
And when those moments—meltdowns, tears, overwhelm—are met with ridicule, punishment, gaslighting, or exploitation (especially by people meant to love and protect us), the nervous system learns something devastating: to fear itself. To shame itself. To turn inward with contempt.
Unpacking. Unmasking. **Un‑abandoning ourselves.**
This work cannot be done alone. It must happen collectively.

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### The Intention of This Group

This is a space I hope to cultivate through **time, consistency, and devotion** to the collective.
Late Bloomers exists to:

* Offer support, encouragement, and kinship
* Hold honest, nuanced conversations about late diagnosis
* Explore identity, grief, betrayal, and self‑trust
* Discuss trauma and nervous‑system realities
* Investigate research alongside lived experience
* Name the struggles of navigating a world designed for neurotypical minds and bodies

This is a **sacred space**, but not a healed one.
I fully expect challenging conversations, emotional responses, and moments of discomfort. What I will not tolerate is bullying, harassment, or cruelty. Vulnerability is welcome here—but so is accountability.

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### Community Agreements

* You do not need to be “healed” to belong here
* You do need to be respectful, curious, and accountable
* Triggers may arise; care and consent matter
* Lived experience is honored alongside research
* No fixing, diagnosing, or rescuing one another

This is a **matriarchal‑leaning container**—guided, relational, and rooted in care. Flow and consistency from me as the host, and from you as participants, are essential for this space to thrive.

***

### What Our Meetings Will Look Like

* **Virtual, first.** Safety matters. I want us to know one another before entering shared physical spaces.
* Conversation‑based, with room for pauses, silence, and different communication styles
* Future in‑person gatherings may be hosted at my home, once trust and community are established

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### Who This Space Is For

Late Bloomers is an **inclusive space for women and gender‑nonconforming people**, including LGBTQIA+ individuals.
**This is not a space for men.**

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### Closing

Coming to terms with being autistic—rather than “sick,” “broken,” or failing—can fundamentally alter how you see yourself and the world. For me, it was not only heartbreaking; it was identity‑shattering.
This group exists so none of us have to navigate that transformation alone.
You are welcome here.
You belong here.
You are not late—you bloomed when you had the language, safety, and truth to do so.

Late Bloomer

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