Strategies to Teach Parents and Caregivers of System-Involved Youth about Neurodiversity

Nicole Kelly, Psy.D. & Nancy Acosta, Psy.D.

Training Description

With the growing awareness of neurodiversity and the number of system-involved youth diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, it’s important for parents and caregivers to learn about neurodiversity. This training will equip participants with information needed to provide psychoeducation to parents and caregivers about neurodiversity. Without this knowledge, parents and caregivers can unintentionally place unrealistic neurotypical demands and expectations on neurodiverse system-involved youth.

Learning Objectives

· Participants will be able to explain what “neurodiversity” means.

· Participants will be able to explain the importance of utilizing and promoting a “neurodiversity affirming lens” to others who support system-involved youth.

· Participants will be able to teach parents and/or caregivers of system-involved youth about neurodiversity.

Agenda

10:00-10:15am  Introduction and Welcome

10:15am-12:15pm  Neurodiversity overview

· Neurotypical overview of children

· Neurodiversity overview of youth

· Neurotypical overview of teens

· Neurodiversity overview of teens

· Neurodiversity amongst system-involved youth

· Girls and neurodiversity

· Race and neurodiversity

· Common questions and concerns parents have about neurodiversity

12:15-1:15pm  LUNCH (CE hours will not be offered for this time)

1:15-3:00pm

· Addressing common concerns of parents/caregivers

· Addressing cultural barriers

· Social emotional reciprocity and autism

· Nonverbal communication and autism

· Relationships and autism

· Repetitive behaviors, routines and autism

· Restricted interests and sensory sensitivities

· Role play educating parents/caregivers about neurodiversity

3:00-3:15  Break (CE hours will not be offered for this time)

3:15-4:45pm  Strategies of support

· Social emotional reciprocity supports

· Interpersonal supports

· Nonverbal supports

· Routine supports

· Sensory supports

· Neurodiversity affirming

· Parent/Caregiver self-care and supports

4:45-5:00pm  Closing & Wrap-up

Meet Our Trainer

Nicole Kelly is a clinical psychologist who has worked with trauma survivors for 14 years. She currently consults with agencies on trauma-informed care, programming for commercially sexually exploited youth, vicarious trauma, and leadership development. Nicole has been training multidisciplinary audiences on trauma-related topics since 2015 and provides guest lectures at local universities on human trafficking.

Nancy Acosta is a bilingual therapist who has 7 years of experience working with trauma at a sexual assault center. She has provided services to children and adults in various settings including outpatient community mental health centers, college counseling centers, crisis centers, and in an integrated behavioral health setting. She has completed training in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy as well as Cognitive Processing Therapy. She has experience providing training and supervision to doctoral level graduate students in trauma related topics including crisis intervention, vicarious trauma, and grounding techniques. In addition to developing a training manual for a student training program at a rape and crisis center, she also has experience supervising practicum students and providing support to staff and advocates. Nancy has experience working as a behavioral health consultant with multidisciplinary staff to improve recognition, treatment and management of behavioral problems and conditions.

This course meets the qualifications for (5.75) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.