ADHD & AUTISM Expert sessions
Every parent was once a teen, but it’s easy to forget how challenging those years can be. Teens crave independence but still need their parents. Their world is filled with navigating unspoken truths and complex relationships with peers and others. Add in ADHD and/or autism and the chaos is even more confusing.
This collection of expert sessions features 10 different experts in the fields of ADHD, autism, parenting, and child development. Each of the included sessions is about neurodiverse teens. You will learn about how your teen’s neurodifferences contribute to their unique experience, how to respect and support independence while setting appropriate boundaries, how to teach self-advocacy, and how to prepare your teen for a successful launch to adulthood.
Join our experts as they show you how to help your neurodiverse teen navigate the path to independence while keeping them safe and making it possible for them to succeed. Our goal is to help you understand your teen while sharing strategies that will help you to:
Teenage brains are going through a profound reorganization, comparable only to those of the toddler years. And just like a toddler, your teen is desperate for independence. The challenge is the balance between how much freedom to give, and how much support is still required.
What happens once our kids turn 18? While it's true that you lose the right to see their records, you also get to watch them navigate the responsibilities and privileges of adulthood. That means you will need to teach them how to think for themselves and how to problem-solve.
What is most critical for success after graduation? Executive functioning skills? Strong friendships? Understanding how to solve problems and advocate for yourself when you can't figure it out? Our speakers will help you address these concerns and more.
The executive functioning and skills of neurodivergent teens develop at roughly 2/3 the rate of their neurotypical peers. This impacts their ability to navigate college and employment. Learn how to help them master these skills so they can successfully launch into the adult world.
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Debbie Reber Author of "Wired Differently" and Founder of TiLT Parenting Debbie Reber is author of Wired Differently: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World, and Founder of TiLT Parenting. In this interview, she describes some of the strategies she has found helpful when her son is having a hard time. Learn how she stays calm so he can learn to solve problems for himself.
Sharon Saline Psy.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Author of "What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew" The adolescent years often carry an extra challenge for parents (to say the least). When you add neurodiversity to that already tumultuous time, it can feel overwhelming, sometimes even impossible. Listen as Sharon Saline, PsyD, and Penny Williams discuss the physiology of the adolescent brain and how to use that knowledge to help your child and also with your parenting. Dr. Saline provides insights into how to teach independence and resilience when your teen is neurodiverse.
Monica Werner, MA, LCPC Coauthor of "Unstuck and On Target", and "Solving Executive Function Challenges" Do you ever feel like your kid is being deliberately oppositional because they refuse to do something that is clearly in their best interest? It’s usually not a matter of WON’T, but rather CAN’T, and difficulties with executive functioning can make it even harder. In this conversation with Monica Adler Werner, you will learn about the seven executive functions (shift, inhibit, emotional control, initiation, working memory, planning and organization, and monitoring) and what they look like in everyday situations. Once you know what your child is struggling with, you will learn about the scripts that the creators of the Unstuck and On Target curriculum have found will help your child develop these incredibly important skills.
Jeff Copper, PCAC, PCC Attention Coach, Expert on Attention Issues, Founder of DIG Coaching Few teens are motivated to do their very best in school or with their chores, for instance, but they are motivated by other things, like interests and social connections. This can be frustrating for parents who feel not focusing on what's important when you're a teen will mean they can't focus on the right things as an adult. Attention Coach, Jeff Copper, explains why that isn't necessarily true and how to help your child focus on what's important by using what naturally motivates them.
Ben Glenn Speedchalk Artist, Author, Founder of Chalkguy’s LEGO drive project Ben Glenn, struggled with ADHD throughout his formative years, ultimately finding it impossible to stay interested in school. Although his ADHD caused him to struggle academically, it proved to be a perfect companion in his career as a performer, creator, and educator. Rather than let it hold him back, he uses his ADHD as a tool for writing, speaking, and making videos focused on ADHD and personal development. Resilience is at the cornerstone of success and happiness with ADHD. Learn how Ben has developed and used his grit and heart to succeed with ADHD.
Stephen Shore, Ph.D. Professor of Special Education, Consultant & Author Dr. Shore is a professor at Adelphi University and adjunct at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. He is an internationally renowned educator, consultant and author on lifespan issues pertinent to education, relationships, employment, and self-advocacy, and he is autistic. Listen to this interview to learn how to talk to children about their diagnoses, how to teach them effective self-advocacy, how to collaborate with teachers, and how to effectively address bullying.
Judy Bass, CEP Founder of Bass Educational Services, Developer of CollegeWebLD Graduating from high school is a time of transition for kids and their parents. Figuring out how to successfully launch your young adult into a life of independence and fulfillment is a daunting task, even when they don’t have ADHD or autism. Neurodiverse young adults who get good grades may not do well in college because they don’t know how to do the activities of daily living, how to organize and plan their time in an unstructured setting, or how to meet other kids who share their interests. Listen as Judy Bass, a Certified Educational Planner, describes how to figure out what level of support a child will need, and how to choose a post-secondary option that will allow neurodiverse young adults to grow and become independent. Learn why it is important to prepare for options that are realistic for your child – by focusing on their strengths, and steering them to careers where they can do what they are passionate about in a setting where they can be successful. Ms. Bass describes four different types of post-secondary programs available to students with disabilities: (1) college with supports, (2) programs where students learn life skills while taking a college class or two, (3) programs for students who do not want a diploma, but who need to develop career skills, and (4) gap year programs. As Judy says, “All students develop on different time lines. There is no one path to independence.”
Lori Ackles, LMSW Director of the Spectrum Support Program at RIT, Consultant to College Autism Spectrum (CAS) Laurie Ackles is the Director of the Spectrum Support Program at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and a higher education consultant with College Autism Spectrum (CAS), an independent organization of professionals whose purpose is to assist students with autism spectrum disorders and their families. In this presentation, she describes the skills that your child will need in order to be successful at college and describes how to help them develop the skills they will need to succeed in college and beyond. This talk will help parents of kids with either ADHD or autism (or both!)
Haley Dunn, MA, LPC Teen & Adult Coordinator at Milestones Autism Resources Preparing a teen to live independently and support themselves can be a daunting task (there are many tasks in that one goal). There are many facets that go into preparing kids for the transition from high school to the workforce, all of which need to be considered in the teen years, if not sooner. Haley Dunn and Penny Williams discuss how to teach the skills necessary to succeed in the workforce, how to support the transition, the resources available to families to assist with navigating the transition, and when to start. Haley recommends that you start building these skills much earlier than you would think.
Alisa Foreman, MA, LMFT Clinical Director, Optimum Performance Institute Life is pretty predictable for kids. They live with their parents who take care of basic needs like housing, food, and clothing. They get up and go to school every morning, spend the day with other kids, come home and do their homework, eat dinner, and go to sleep. Until they finish high school, there aren’t a lot of decisions to be made. That structure ends when they graduate, and many young adults struggle with the transition to adulthood. Alisa Foreman, LMFT, will help you understand why the transition is so difficult for neurodiverse people, and how to help your child move forward with their life. She describes the importance of a social network, and how to build it, how to help black and white thinkers consider a range of options, and how to teach the skills of daily living to kids who need those skills to function in the adult world. Listen to learn how to support your child through this transition so that they will be self-sufficient and have the confidence to take on whatever challenges life brings.
Get 10 expert video sessions for just $47 U.S. That’s less than $5 per session!
