“Demystifying the Autism Spectrum & Autistic People”

Presented by Matt Lowry, LPP. and Maisie Soetantyo, M.Ed.

 

Class 1: “What Autism Is & Isn’t”

When: Thurs, Jan 26th, 2023 from 4.00 – 5.30 pm PST/7.00-8.30 pm EST.

In this session, Matt Lowry will deconstruct autism definitions as stated in DSM-5 and help us understand why we need to redefine autistic expressions differently. Maisie and Matt will also discuss common autism-related myths and misinformation given to parents of newly diagnosed autistic children.

Class 2: “Autistic Identity & Authentic Autistic Living”

When: Thurs, Feb 9th, 2023 from 4.00 – 5.30 pm PST/7.00-8.30 pm EST.

In this class, we will discuss autistic individuals’ lived experiences, particularly how sensory, emotional, communication, thinking and relationship preferences impact our choices and quality of lives. Other topics included are autistic inertia and specialized interests/passion, as well as masking, executive functioning and transitioning challenges.

Class 3: “Autism Support & Treatment Across Lifespan”

When: Thurs, March 2nd, 2023 from 4.00 – 5.30 pm PST/7.00-8.30 pm EST.

In this last class, we will focus on neurodiversity affirming support and treatment modalities for autistic people of all ages. We will dive deep into ableism in deficit-based therapy/programs and why a ‘fix-it’ mindset falls short in helping neurodivergent people reach quality of lives. We will also discuss a common question asked by professionals, “How do I transition out of deficit-based approaches into a person-centered and strength-based model?”.

Who should attend?

• Aspiring professionals.
• Professionals wanting to learn about neurodiversity affirming practices.
• Educators.
• Parents who want to learn how to support and nurture authentic autistic identity.
• Anyone who wants to leave behind a deficit mindset.