Description:
OPD Points: 5
Autism, ADHD, & Other Neurodiverse Variations:
Neurological Differences to Be Respected, NOT Diseases to Be Cured
The world can be cruel to neurodivergent people.
As a result, may of our neurodivergent clients lock their true selves away behind a mask of “normal”…
But the constant effort to be something they’re not comes at a heavy mental and emotional cost.
While they may blend in on the surface…
Behind that façade, they struggle with a mistrust of themselves, hatred for their bodies, and fear of their desires.
To undo years of emotional damage, they need a clinician who can collaborate with them to find their unique strengths and talents.
With Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy, YOU can be that clinician.
This powerful model recognises that neurodivergence itself is NOT a flaw or disability to be “fixed”. Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy shows you how to adapt your current modalities to this diverse population to work with your clients’ strengths.
With this insight, you can help them overcome depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and other co-occurring mental health conditions that come from trying to fit into a world that wasn’t built for them.
In this online course, Clinical Psychologist Monique Mitchelson reveals a simple Neurodiversity Affirming therapy model you can add to your practice immediately…
To connect authentically with your neurodivergent clients so they can finally thrive in a neurotypical world.
Register today!
Key Learning Objectives / Outcomes:
PART I
Introduction to the Neurodiversity Affirming Paradigm and the Social Model of Disability
Exploring Implicit Bias and Intersectionality in the latest research on Autism and ADHD
Language
Double Empathy Theory
Practitioner Self Reflection
PART II
Introduction to Principles and Practices of Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy with Autism and ADHD
Key qualities of a Neurodiversity Affirming Therapist
Principles of Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy
Self-reflection Exercise
Setting up your Therapy Room and Practice
Introduction to the Square Model
Stimming
Masking and Unmasking
Validation and Compassion
Grieving
Values
PART III
Neurodiversity and Trauma, Burnout, and Interoception Skills
Neurodiversity and Trauma
Burnout and Burnout Handout
Interoception Skills
PART IV
Adapting Therapies in an Affirming Manner
Sensory Needs
Executive Functioning
Adapting Mindfulness and therapies such as ACT in an affirming manner
Presenter / Provider:
Monique Mitchelson
Presenter Qualifications:
Clinical Psychologist (M.ClinPsych) (MAPS) Bachelor of Psych.Science (Hons.) Board Approved Supervisor.
Monique Mitchelson is a neurodivergent Clinical Psychologist working in private practice in Brisbane Australia. She specializes in working with trauma, complex PTSD, sleep disorders and chronic pain/illness, and has an interest in Neurodiversity particularly in women and girls. She works with many Autistic and ADHD people and has a neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ safe workspace. Monique works from a strengths-based perspective using tailored evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) as well as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Structural Dissociation Therapy. Monique is the creator and co-host of The Neurodivergent Woman Podcast with Clinical Neuropsychologist Dr Michelle Livock – available on Spotify and Apple/Google Podcasts and over 250,000 downloads. The podcast shares quality psychological information on Neurodiversity in Girls and Women as well as interviews women about their lived experience of neurodiversity.
Monique practices Neurodiversity Affirming therapy. Neurodiversity Affirming therapy aims to affirm the different neurotype of a neurodivergent person, rather than seeing their neurotype as inherently “bad” or in need of fixing to become neurotypical. It aims for the person to explore their neurodivergent identity and find their own unique strengths. The Neurodiversity Affirming movement comes from the wider social disability movement and is an important therapeutic approach in working with neurodivergent clients. Monique has presented on Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy at the UQ Compassion Symposium and will be speaking at the APS Educational and Developmental Psychology 2023 Conference and Yellow Ladybugs Conference 2023.
