[Self-Study] Giving Unicorns Wings: Creating Ideal Treatment Conditions and Interventions for Neurodiverse Children, Adolescents, and Adults (with autism, ADHD, and learning differences)

Description:

Did you know that nearly a quarter of the people who enter your treatment room in the U.S. are likely to be neurodiverse and process their experiences differently than their neurotypical counterparts? Join the AATA community for a deep dive into the experiences, needs, and clinical treatment for neurodiverse clients (with autism, ADHD, learning differences, etc.). In this seminar, discover how ableism (social prejudice against people with disabilities) inflicts psychological harm on individuals with “invisible disabilities”. Explore an original art therapy social skills treatment approach designed to accept the client for who they are, create positive social feedback cycles, and stimulate social and emotional coping skill-building. You will acquire powerful skills for this cohort that has useful applications for most clinical populations, such as “Reverse Art Therapy” Social-Coping Skills Lessons, Targeted Positive Reflection, Compassionate Social Coaching, and a range of group and dyadic art therapy tasks that develop social skills.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to:

• Identify key characteristics of neurodiversity and describe how autistic, ADHD, and other neurodiverse clients may process experiences differently from neurotypical individuals.
• Explain how ableism and social prejudice toward “invisible disabilities” can create psychological harm for neurodiverse clients.
• Describe an art therapy–based social skills treatment approach that emphasizes client acceptance, positive social feedback cycles, and development of coping skills.

Additional Information:

• This session is worth 4 CEUs