Description
Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy for Autistic Youth:
An Evidence-Based Approach
Shift your paradigm from ‘fixing’ to ‘affirming’ with our comprehensive course on neurodiversity-affirming therapy for autistic youth.
The traditional medical model has long approached autism as a set of ‘deficits’ requiring correction. However, mounting evidence underscores the negative repercussions of such ableist perspectives in therapy, manifesting as mental health stressors and reduced quality of life for autistic individuals. In this transformative webinar, Dr. Marnell illuminates the urgent need for therapists to transition to the social model of disability. At its core, this model champions the rights of autistic children and teens to steer their own lives and underscores the imperative of dismantling societal barriers.
Presented By:
Lisa Marnell, MBA, OTD, Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Target Audience:
Therapy Providers seeking to deepen their understanding and application of neurodiversity-affirming practices.
Course Highlights:
- Decoding Ableism: Delve into the definition of ableism and its pervasive presence in therapy, and learn actionable strategies to reframe ableist perspectives in thought, language, and documentation.
- Understanding Autistic Neurobiology: Draw insightful connections between the unique neurobiology of autistic individuals and the evaluation and intervention processes.
- Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy Techniques with Autistic Youth: Equip yourself with practical, respectful, and impactful methods for assessing autistic strengths and challenges. Additionally, master the art of designing neurodiversity-affirming goals and accommodations.
Included Resources:
- Comprehensive course slides
- Informative handout to reinforce learning
- Certificate of Attendance as a testament to your commitment to inclusive therapy
Lisa Marnell, MBA, OTD a pediatric occupational therapist with over twenty years of experience. She completed her doctorate at Boston University and is now on the BU faculty working as a lecturer and mentor within the post-professional OTD program. The focus of Lisa’s OT work with clients includes cultivating emotional regulation through self-understanding and self-advocacy, supporting client insight into their own sensory processing, social preferences, and unique self-care needs, and collaborating with clients to embrace their passions and identify personally meaningful occupations. Lisa is the founder of Kids Master Skills LLC and is a member of the board of directors at the STAR Institute in Denver. Autistic herself, Lisa recently began a private practice in Thousand Oaks, California, where she provides neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based OT support to autistic clients and their families. Lisa is an active autism advocate.
Participants will learn how to
- differentiate between ableist and neurodiversity-affirming therapy goals and explain the rationale for the classification.
- reframe a client's "deficit" as a strength and write a simple goal to use this identified strength to support the child's meaningful occupation.
- develop neurodiversity-affirming goals to increase an autistic child's self-understanding and self-confidence in relation to their personal autistic traits, strengths, and/or interests.
