Fall Conference Series

Workshop Series

Fall 2009 Workshop Series
For parents, educators and professionals working with individuals
with Autism Spectrum Disorders

October 27th  

Navigating Services: The “How To” of Future Planning for Individuals with ASDs
6:30-8:30pm               Halley Ceglia, LMSW 

Future planning is vital for individuals with ASDs. This workshop will introduce a variety of services that are available along with the necessary steps to receive assistance. Services to be discussed include: Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disorders (OMRDD), Social Security entitlements (SSI and SSDI), Medicaid, Medicare, Vocational and Educational Services for the Independence of the Disabled (VESID), transition planning and future living options, financial and legal planning, and health care services. Eligibility and applying for these services will be discussed.

November 2   

Anger, Anxiety, and Other Emotions: How Individual Therapy Can Help Verbal Youth and Teens with ASDs
6:30 – 8:30pm          Shana Nichols, Ph.D. & Samara Pulver Tetenbaum, M.A.
  
Youth with ASD often experience social and emotional difficulties that may lead to significant mental health issues and behavioral dysregulation. Researchers and clinicians are only beginning to understand that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be an effective treatment to address these concerns for learners with ASDs. Using case presentations and materials from our clinic CBT program, this workshop will focus on the key components of CBT and how they may be adapted for use with individuals with ASDs. Participants will develop a basic understanding of CBT and learn who can benefit from participating in individual therapy.

November 11 

The Necessity of Speech Language Therapy for Children and Teens with High Functioning ASDs
6:30-8:30pm  Gina-Marie Moravcik, M.A., CCC-SLP

Although many children and teens with Aspergers and High Functioning Autism excel in vocabulary and sentence structure, they often struggle with inference and perspective taking that can affect social, academic, and later employment success. Using case examples, this workshop will highlight these areas of difficulty as well as discuss specific strategies for intervention.

November 16 

What to do When Yelling Doesn’t Work: Putting Positive Behavior Supports to Use
6:30-8:30pm   Samara Pulver Tetenbaum, M.A.
 
Why don’t children just listen? What is the best way to decrease unwanted behaviors? This workshop will focus on the use of positive behavior support strategies both at home and in the classroom. Positive behavior support techniques will be highlighted that allow parents and teachers to decrease problem behaviors so they can focus on increasing learning and improving family life. This workshop will highlight how these strategies can be used with children with ASDs; however, they can be applied to any child who exhibits behavioral difficulties.

To Register for the 2009 Fall Workshop Series, download the form