Tag Archives: ACT Event: Upcoming Events

Taking Steps to Overcome Picky Eating and Transform Mealtimes

All Events
Contact ACT
Sign in

Level: Beginner

For: Parents, caregivers, family members

Autism Specific?: No

Taking Steps to Overcome Picky Eating and Transform Mealtimes

12:00pm – 1:00pm, Wednesdays, May 22-June 19, 2024

Presented by Lauren Hershfield (OT), Elise Fairey (RD); The Feeding Group

Live on Zoom

This online parenting group will teach parents and caregivers how to best support their child with picky eating, facilitate positive food interactions, and work towards expanding their diet and less stressful mealtimes.

Attend this program to:

  • Gain an understanding of what factors can cause picky eating, and how to best understand your child’s eating behaviors
  • Learn ways to increase your child’s acceptance level and comfort with new food
  • Identify and address challenges related to food refusal and power struggles.
  • Discuss and address common nutritional deficiencies associated with picky eating.
  • Explore a variety of feeding strategies to encourage adventurous eating.
  • Learn about the role of sensory integration in food acceptance.
  • Learn how to manage eating challenges at school, holidays and parties
  • Build a community of support with other parents with picky eaters to help problem solve around feeding your child

This program has a 30-person capacity.

Tickets

The numbers below include tickets for this event already in your cart. Clicking “Get Tickets” will allow you to edit any existing attendee information as well as change ticket quantities.
5-Week Program Registration
$ 500.00
Quantity: 0
Total: $ 0.00
Friends of ACT save 10% off event registrations, join here!

Sign in to use your 10% Friends of ACT Discount, or register here.

Event Details

Lauren Hershfield

Lauren earned her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto. Lauren has specialized training in the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding, sensory systems and picky eating and pediatric feeding disorders and anxiety. Lauren has a special interest in helping parents navigate the worries of feeding a child with picky eating and building connections with children. Lauren enjoys building relationships with parents and children to help implement changes that will improve their day to day lives.

Elise Fairey

Elise received her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of British Columbia. Elise has obtained further training in the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding and the Solid Starts Professional curriculum. She has dedicated her career to working with kids and their families both at BC Children’s Hospital and in her private practice, The Feeding Group. Elise has a special interest in supporting babies and kids with poor growth and optimizing kids’ nutrition. Elise is passionate about establishing good feeding practices in childhood so kids can grow up feeling good about food and their bodies.

Weekly hour-long sessions at noon Pacific time from Wednesday, May 22 to Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

Each session will be 60 minutes and conducted over Zoom, providing a virtual space for interactive learning and discussion. Questions and group discussions will be encouraged to foster a supportive community.

This course aims to empower parents with practical knowledge, simple but effective strategies, and a supportive community to navigate the challenges of picky eating and promote a positive relationship with food for their children.

Each week will be facilitated by a registered occupational therapist or dietitian.

The 5-week program cost is $500.

*Last day to register is May 17 at 11:59pm, 2024

Group Discounts

Registering 3 or more attendees at a time? Receive a 10% discount!

Friends of ACT Receive 10% Off

Join here to become a Friend of ACT. This FREE program keeps you up to date with all the latest events and resources from ACT, and provides a 10% discount on a single ticket for all events.

Bursaries

ACT wants to ensure equitable access to all of our events. Bursaries are available where registration cost is a barrier. Full bursaries are available for Indigenous people/people who work at organizations that support Indigenous people. You are encouraged to apply for bursaries as soon as possible as funds are limited.

Apply by completing ACT’s Bursary Form before May 13, 2024. If you identify as Indigenous, or work for an Indigenous organization, complete our Bursary Form for Indigenous Communities.

Donate to our bursary fund.

Autism Funding

If you wish to use your child’s Autism Funding to pay for your registration, ACT can invoice the Autism Funding Branch directly. If you are paying in advance to be reimbursed, you must contact the Autism Funding Branch for approval first.

For information on how to register with your Autism Funding, visit Workshop Registration Using Autism Funding.

CART captioning and ASL interpretation will be provided at the event.

Wednesday, May 22 @ 12:00 pm – Wednesday, June 19 @ 1:00 pm PDT

$500.00
Share this page:
EmailFacebookTwitterPinterest

Autism and Sexuality Education: Centering Pleasure in Prevention

All Events
Contact ACT
Sign in

Level: Beginner to beyond

For: Autistic adults, Parents, caregivers, family members, professionals

Autism Specific?: Yes

Autism and Sexuality Education: Centering Pleasure in Prevention

Wednesday, May 1, 5pm – 6pm
& Friday, May 3, 2024, 5pm-6:30pm

Presented by Morrigan Hunter (MA, MSW)

Live on Zoom

These two sessions address pleasure and autonomy as guiding principles for sexual health education in the Autistic community.

Through open discussions and interactive exercises, we’ll explore:

  • Moving beyond traditional models of sexual health education to focus on building a positive and empowering relationship with sexuality.
  • Creating a safe space to explore topics like gender identity, sexual orientation, and developing a healthy sense of self-ownership when it comes to sexual choices and experiences.
  • Tailoring sexual health education materials to be accessible and informative for Autistic adults.

These sessions are designed for Autistic adults who want to feel empowered and knowledgeable about their sexual health, as well as parents/family members/caregivers and professionals.

Tickets

The numbers below include tickets for this event already in your cart. Clicking “Get Tickets” will allow you to edit any existing attendee information as well as change ticket quantities.
Web Stream Both Days
$ 100.00
Unlimited
Quantity: 0
Total: $ 0.00
Friends of ACT save 10% off event registrations, join here!

Sign in to use your 10% Friends of ACT Discount, or register here.

Event Details

In the two sessions, participants will learn about:

  • Formulating effective strategies for promoting sexual and gender diversity-related health and well-being, with a focus on implementing recommendations outlined by Dewinter et al.
  • Enhancing understanding and knowledge of sexuality, relationships, and gender diversity tailored specifically for autistic individuals and their families through comprehensive education and information dissemination.
  • Enhancing proficiency in and enhancing accessibility to healthcare services addressing inquiries related to sexuality, relationships, and gender, focusing particularly on the prevention of and provision of support following experiences of sexual victimization.
  • Integrating the perspectives and insights of the Autistic community into future research endeavors focused on enhancing well-being within the realms of sexuality, relationships, and gender diversity.

Morrigan Hunter (MA, MSW)

Morrigan Hunter (MA, MSW) is an Autistic researcher and educator whose work focuses on addressing violence against Autistic and other disabled people by centering pleasure and sexual health equity. Their work has included collaborations with domestic violence and sexual assault service organizations, disability service organizations, and sex positive communities. They live in Chicago with their partner and two bunnies, Opal and Mr. Wee Floofington.  

Day 1: Wednesday May 1, 2024

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Introduction

Day 2: Friday, May 3, 2024

5:00 – 6:30 pm – Workshop

All times Pacific Time

Both Sessions $100

Last day to register is April 28, 2024

Group Discounts

Registering 3 or more attendees at a time? Receive a 10% discount!

Friends of ACT Receive 10% Off

Join here to become a Friend of ACT. This FREE program keeps you up to date with all the latest events and resources from ACT, and provides a 10% discount on a single ticket for all events.

Bursaries

ACT is committed to ensuring equitable access to all our events. Bursaries are offered to mitigate financial barriers to registration. Full bursaries are specifically allocated for Indigenous individuals or those affiliated with organizations supporting Indigenous communities. We strongly encourage you to apply for bursaries promptly as funds are limited.

Apply by completing ACT’s Bursary Form by April 25, 2024. If you identify as Indigenous, or work for an Indigenous organization, complete our Bursary Form for Indigenous Communities.

Donate to our bursary fund.

Autism Funding

If you intend to utilize your child’s Autism Funding to cover your registration fees, ACT can directly invoice the Autism Funding Branch on your behalf. However, if you’re paying upfront with the intention of seeking reimbursement, it’s imperative to obtain prior approval from the Autism Funding Branch.

For information on how to register with your Autism Funding, visit Workshop Registration Using Autism Funding.

Zoom captioning and ASL interpretation will be provided at the event.

$100.00

Wednesday, May 1 @ 5:00 pm – Friday, May 3 @ 6:30 pm PDT

Web streaming live

Canada
Share this page:
EmailFacebookTwitterPinterest

SLP and OT Support for Autistic Children & Families

All Events
Contact ACT
Sign in

SLP and OT Support for Autistic Children & Families

An Introduction from Nurture Learning & Development

A free event for parents, caregivers, family members, community professionals, and autistic adults

Presented by Kate Chase, PhD, SLP, BCBA & Emily Lee, OT, BCBA

Thursday, April 25, 2024, 9am-11:15am Pacific Time

Vancouver, BC & Web Streaming Live

Tickets

The numbers below include tickets for this event already in your cart. Clicking “Get Tickets” will allow you to edit any existing attendee information as well as change ticket quantities.
Web Streaming Live
$ 0.00
Unlimited
In-Person
Join us in Vancouver
$ 0.00
Quantity: 0
Total: $ 0.00

Dr. Kate Ballem Chase’s Presentation: Dr. Kate Ballem Chase, Clinical Director and SLP at Nurture, discusses how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) support autistic children and their families. SLPs address areas such as speech, language, play, executive functioning, emotional regulation, peer relationships, and literacy. Workshop attendees will learn practical strategies for supporting children at home.

Emily Lee’s Presentation: Emily Lee, OT Clinical Practice Lead from Nurture, focuses on supporting autistic kids’ primary childhood “occupations.” Occupational Therapists (OTs) combine evidence-based support with positive, neurodiversity-affirming therapy. They address play, daily living activities, sleep, learning new skills, and social participation. Attendees will discover fun ways to support their child’s growth in these areas.

Learning Objectives

  • Participants will learn about the areas SLPs and OTs can support autistic children and their families. 
  • Participants will learn some easy to use strategies for supporting their child’s engagement and participation. 
Friends of ACT save 10% off event registrations, join here!

Sign in to use your 10% Friends of ACT Discount, or register here.

Event Details

In this presentation, Dr. Kate Ballem Chase, Clinical Director and SLP at Nurture, will discuss how speech-language pathologists can support autistic children and their families to learn new ways to communicate and engage with family, friends, and community. SLPs can provide support in a wide variety of areas, including speech, language, play, executive functioning, emotional regulation, peer relationships, and literacy. Workshop attendees will learn more about the broad supports that SLPs can provide, as well as some simple, fun strategies to support children at home. 

In this presentation, Emily Lee, OT Clinical Practice Lead from Nurture, will discuss how OTs combine their support with the best evidence and positive, neurodiversity affirming therapy to help autistic kids with their primary childhood “occupations” – such as play, activities of daily living, sleep, learning new skills and participating socially in family and community life. OTs use a broad lens when looking at child development, including how children’s motor, sensory and cognitive needs and skills grow and change. Workshop attendees will learn about what areas of development OTs can support and fun ways to support their child’s occupations as they grow.

Dr. Kate Ballem Chase, Founder, Director, SLP, BCBA 

Dr. Kate Ballem Chase is a registered Speech-Language Pathologist and a Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst. She is a certified therapist in both JASPER and the Early Start Denver Model. She is also the proud mom of a neurodiverse daughter. After pursuing undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria, Kate studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, where she completed her doctorate in Experimental Psychology in 2004, with a focus on early language and cognitive development. After returning from Oxford, Kate completed her clinical training as a speech-language pathologist at the University of British Columbia in 2006. Kate worked briefly at the BC Centre for Ability before joining Loyst and Associates Autism Services, where she led the team in the Richmond area from 2007-2013. Kate is also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Audiology and Speech Science at the University of British Columbia. When she isn’t playing with clients and their parents, Kate can be found playing outside with her husband, two children, and their dog! 

Emily Lee, Clinical Practice Lead, OT, BCBA. 

Emily Lee is a registered Occupational Therapist, and Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. She completed her undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto in 2002. Upon graduation Emily dove into working with children, the source of her inspiration for becoming an OT.  After moving to the west coast she worked at St. Paul’s Hospital for half a year and then joined the Early Intervention Therapy program at the BC Centre for Ability. Emily worked with children with a broad range of strengths and needs, including many children with autism. During her final year at the BC Centre for Ability she directed the occupational therapy department, supervising the provision of OT services across 5 programs. Switching gears in 2016, Emily completed her Masters of Rehabilitation Sciences through the University of British Columbia in 2017 and joined the Nurture team. Through her studies she has extensively explored research literature regarding early identification of and intervention for Developmental Coordination Disorder.  More recently, in June 2023, Emily completed her Board Certified Behaviour Analysis training. Emily has also been working on her JASPER certification alongside her Nurture colleagues and is a certified Early Start Denver Model therapist. During her family time, Emily can be found playing in the woods or at the pool with her husband and two kids.

In-Person Registration

8:15 am – 9:00 am Pacific Time

Session 1: Dr. Kate Chase

9:00 am – 10:00 am Pacific Time

Morning Break

10:00 am – 10:15 am Pacific Time

Session 2: Emily Lee

10:15 am – 11:15 am Pacific Time

Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre  
Sauder Policy Room (Room 2270)  
515 West Hastings St, Vancouver, B.C.  

Click to view full map  

This venue is readily accessible by public transit. Visit translink.ca for directions and schedules for the West Coast Express, SkyTrain, SeaBus and bus routes. Please note that parking in downtown Vancouver is costly, but there are several parkades nearby.

Hotels 

ACT has negotiated preferred rates at four downtown Vancouver hotels near SFU Harbour Centre. Please visit this page for hotel details including links to directions. 

Please note ACT cannot accept responsibility for any expenses incurred by the participant from charges that involve travel, accommodations, or other costs related to attending an ACT event. These are the sole responsibility of the participant as well as all risks associated with non-refundable, non-changeable purchases. ACT strongly recommends that participants purchase cancellation insurance for travel, etc. where possible.

Level: Beginner

Focus: SLP & OT Supports and Strategies

For: Parents/caregivers/family members, Autistic youth and adults

Autism Specific?: Yes

Zoom captioning and ASL interpretation will be provided

Share this page:
EmailFacebookTwitterPinterest

Mental Health, Suicide, and Autism

All Events
Contact ACT
Sign in

Mental Health, Suicide, and Autism

ACT’s 2024 Focus on Research Conference

Special discounted rates for educators in British Columbia. View details here.

Sponsored by

Provincial Outreach Program for Autism & Related Disorders

Presented by Anne V. Kirby, PhD, OTR/L, Jessica Schwartzman, PhD, Lisa Morgan, M.Ed. CAS, Rachel Mosely, PhD, & Shari Jager-Hyman, PhD

Panel presentation by Bobbi Duncan-Ishcomer, Alex Jacobs, Rachel Kripke-Ludwig, and Izabelle Stevens

Panel presentations moderated by Grace Iarocci, PhD & Elina Birmingham, PhD

Thursday, April 4 & Friday, April 5, 2024

Vancouver, B.C. & Web Streaming Live

Recording available for two weeks after the conference, for all registrants.

Research practitioners, which include Autistic Adults, will illustrate why we need to learn about mental health and suicide within the Autistic community. Learn the suicide risk factors and warning signs as well as practical strategies and resources to identify and support those in crisis.

Mental Health Crisis Resources

In Canada, the Suicide Crisis Hotline can be phoned or texted at 9-8-8.

In B.C. and Yukon, Crisis Centre Chat provides an online chat from Noon to 1am

More resources can be found on this article from AutismBC: I’m autistic and in mental health crisis. What can I do?

Friends of ACT save 10% off event registrations, join here!

Sign in to use your 10% Friends of ACT Discount, or register here.

Tickets

The numbers below include tickets for this event already in your cart. Clicking “Get Tickets” will allow you to edit any existing attendee information as well as change ticket quantities.
Tickets are no longer available

Event Details

Suicide is a leading cause of premature death in autistic people. Autistic individuals are significantly more likely to think about and attempt suicide than members of the general population. However, most mental health professionals do not feel confident about identifying suicide risk, particularly signs of acute risk (i.e., warning signs), and intervening when autistic individuals are in crisis.

In bringing Anne, Lisa, Rachel, Jessica, and Shari to Vancouver, our goal is to improve knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy related to recognizing risk factors and warning signs of suicide risk in Autistic individuals, and identifying appropriate crisis supports and resources for this population.

In this workshop, participants will learn:

  • From Autistic adults with lived experience
  • Why we need to talk about mental health and suicide in the Autistic community
  • The importance of reframing responsibilities and creating culturally safe clinical settings
  • Why school drop-out rates are high among autistic youth and what to do to address this issue
  • The functions of self-injury (i.e., the needs it fulfills, and that self-injury may be suicidal or non-suicidal)
  • About the research related to mental health needs that may be associated with suicide risk and the efficacy of adapted Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
  • About the Autism Resource “Warning Signs of Suicide: Considerations for the Autism Community“
  • Next steps as family members, Autistic community members, and professionals

Anne V. Kirby, PhD, OTR/L

Dr. Anne Kirby is an occupational therapist and researcher currently studying suicide prevention needs in the autistic community. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Utah in the Department of Occupational and Recreational Therapies, with an adjunct role in the Department of Psychiatry and Huntsman Mental Health Institute. She is a principal investigator with the Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE). She currently leads an NIH-funded research project in partnership with autistic community members in AASPIRE about suicide prevention for the autistic community. She has also conducted studies on other needs among the autistic community and their families, as well as suicide risk and prevention in other populations.

Jessica Schwartzman, PhD

Dr. Jessica Schwartzman is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Keck School of Medicine of USC and Director of the Training and Research to Empower NeuroDiversity (TREND) Lab at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The TREND Lab investigates risks for adverse mental health outcomes in neurodivergent people and their families and partners with community members to develop treatments, with a new research line on mental health outcomes in neurodivergent Latino youth. Dr. Schwartzman is a sibling of an autistic young man with intellectual disability and passionate about participatory research that merges self-advocate, family, and provider perspectives to improve mental healthcare for neurodivergent people.

Lisa Morgan, M.Ed. CAS

Lisa Morgan is a consultant specializing in crisis supports and suicide prevention for autistic people. Lisa is founder and co-chair of the Autism and Suicide Prevention Workgroup and has led the development of several autism specific resources for communicating and supporting autistic people in crisis.  A self-advocate with a passion for strengths-based solutions, Lisa has authored several books, articles, and resources all available on her website: www.autismcrisissupport.com. She is a community council member of AASET (Autistic Adults and other Stakeholders Engaged Together) a group of autistic adults participating in research. Lisa has a master’s degree in the Art of Teaching, is a Certified Autism Specialist, a peer reviewer of the online journal, Autism in Adulthood, and owner of Lisa Morgan Consulting LLC. She is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work degree. 

Rachel Mosely, PhD

Dr Rachel Moseley completed her PhD in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, UK, and is now Principle Academic in Psychology at Bournemouth University. While her early work focused on brain function and connectivity, her research now centres on issues facing autistic adults, most notably mental ill-health and suicidality. Dr Moseley is herself autistic, and is passionate about participatory research, positive representation of neurodivergent people, and public engagement to increase acceptance and kindness around neurodiversity. 

Shari Jager-Hyman, PhD

Shari Jager-Hyman, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. Broadly, Dr. Jager-Hyman studies the development and implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for suicide prevention. In particular, Dr. Jager-Hyman focuses on tailored approaches to suicide prevention for autistic individuals developed in collaboration with autistic partners.

Virtual Panelists for Day 1, Session 5

Bobbi Duncan-Ishcomer

Bobbi Duncan-Ishcomer (they/them) is a queer, two-spirit, Autistic Mental Health Peer Specialist living in Austin, TX. In addition to their work as an MHPS, Bobbi is also currently serving as a Community Partner with AASPIRE, and loves being a part of ongoing research. Bobbi has a degree in Linguistics and Russian Language from The University of Texas at Austin and did their thesis work on Language and Identity in Disability and LGBTQ+ communities. When not working to dismantle systems of oppression, Bobbi loves hammock camping with their wife and dogs, turning lumber into furniture, memorizing esoteric geography facts, and playing sorcerers Dungeons & Dragons. 

Alex Jacobs

Alex Jacobs is an autistic self-advocate and researcher. She was a speaker on the Vanderbilt Ethics Grand Round panel on the inclusion of autistic self-advocates in research and has been featured as a ‘Hotline Hero’ for her work on the US National Suicide Prevention Hotline. During her free time, Alex practices self-care by playing board games and cooking. 

Rachel Kripke-Ludwig

Rachel Kripke-Ludwig (she/hers) is a nonspeaking, autistic advocate who will attend Arizona State University in the Fall. She attends Open Mind School in Menlo Park. She is a Community Partner in the AASPIRE Community Based Participatory Research Group. She is also on the Community Advisory Council of CommunicationFIRST, the only nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people who cannot rely on speech to communicate. She is a frequent speaker on neurodiversity and the rights of nonspeaking autistics. To learn more please see, Rachel Tells It All. 

Izabelle Stevens

Izabelle Stevens is an autistic, neurodiverse advocate and certified Social Support Worker. Her strong sense of justice and passion for the betterment of services and treatment for the disabled and neurodiverse community has led her to become the Youth Representative on the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s Minister’s Advisory Council for Children and Youth with Support Needs; and a board member for the Family Support Insititute of British Columbia. Izabelle’s experience with ACT includes being a member of the Self-Injurious Behaviour Committee. Izabelle uses her lived experience to advocate in her community and is also a member of the SD46 Accessibility Committee. 

Moderators

April 4: Grace Iarocci, PhD

Grace Iarocci, PhD is a Professor of Psychology at Simon Fraser University, and the Director of the Autism and Developmental Disorders Lab. A registered psychologist, Dr. Iarocci works closely with government and community agencies in BC to disseminate research information on ASD and influence policy on ASD and other developmental disabilities. Grace has a particular interest in researching quality of life issues among families living with ASD.

April 5: Elina Birmingham, PhD

Elina Birmingham, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Educational Psychology area of the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University (SFU). She completed her PhD in Cognitive Psychology at the University of British Columbia in 2008, followed by postdoctoral fellowships at the California Institute of Technology, and Simon Fraser University. The overarching goal of her research is to better understand and support children, youth and adults on the Autism Spectrum.

Day 1: Thursday, April 4, 2024

8:15 am – 9:00 am
 (In-person Only) Registration

9:00 am – 10:00 am
 Session 1 – Lisa Morgan & Anne Kirby

10:00 am – 10:15 am
 Morning Break

10:15 am – 11:15 am
 Session 2 – Jessica Schwartzman & Anne Kirby

11:15 am – 11:30 am
Morning Break 2

11:30 am – 12:30 pm
 Session 3 – Lisa Morgan & Rachel Moseley

12:30 pm – 1:15 pm
 Lunch

1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
 Session 4 – Shari Jager-Hyman

2:15 pm – 2:30 pm
Afternoon Break

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Session 5 – Panel Period: Bobbi Duncan-Ishcomer, Alex Jacob, Rachel Kripke-Ludwig, Izabelle Stevens

Day 2: Friday, April 5, 2024

8:15 am – 9:00 am
 (In-person Only) Registration

9:00 am – 10:00 am
 Session 1 – Rachel Mosely

10:00 am – 10:15 am
 Morning Break

10:15 am – 11:15 am
 Session 2 – Jessica Schwartzman

11:15 am – 11:30 am
Morning Break 2

11:30 am – 12:30 pm
 Session 3 – Jessica Schwartzman, Anne Kirby, Lisa Morgan, and Shari Jager-Hyman

12:30 pm – 1:15 pm
 Lunch

1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
 Session 4 – Jessica Schwartzman, Anne Kirby, Lisa Morgan, and Shari Jager-Hyman

2:15 pm – 2:30 pm
Afternoon Break

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Session 5 – Panel: Future of Research: Lisa Morgan, Shari Jager-Hyman, Anne Kirby, Rachel Mosely, Jessica Schwartzman

For in-person audience: Coffee and light snacks will be provided at registration and morning breaks.

Please bring/buy your own lunch.

Day 1

9:00 AM- 10:00 AM | Lisa Morgan & Anne Kirby

  • Experiences of an Autistic adult
  • Why we need to talk about mental health and suicide in the Autistic community
  • The emotional impact of support/lack of support (e.g., unintentional harm is still harm)

10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | Jessica Schwartzman & Anne Kirby

  • Research:
    • Anxiety and depression—what does this look like for Autistic people?
    • Mental health needs that may lead to suicide
    • 20-years of data and other population-based research

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Lisa Morgan & Rachel Moseley

  • Suicide and social connectedness – looking outside of the individual for causes of suicide
    • Culture and cultural competency in clinical settings
    • Creating a safe culture where people do not need to camouflage

1:15 PM- 2:15 PM | Shari Jager-Hyman

  • Qualitative experiences with autistic youth & why school drop-out rates are high
  • Autistic youth and adults: Partnership and process; and intervention: The Safety Planning Intervention

2:30 PM- 3:30 PM | Bobbi Duncan-Ishcomer, Alex Jacobs, Rachel Kripke-Ludwig, & Izabelle Stevens

Grace Iarocci, Moderator

Virtual Panel presentations from Autistic advocates, sharing their lived experience.

Day 2

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Rachel Moseley

  • Awareness of the relationship between self-injury and suicide risk, and some of the common threads which may link the two – like psychopathology and emotional dysregulation
  • Understanding self-injury which can be suicidal or non-suicidal
  • Understanding the functions of self-injury – the needs it fulfills

10:15 AM- 11:15 AM | Jessica Schwartzman

  • Lessons from a Neurodivergent Advisory Team
  • Adapted Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Autism

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Jessica Schwartzman, Anne Kirby, Lisa Morgan, and Shari Jager-Hyman

  • Autism suicide prevention working group and crisis supports
  • Warning Signs of Suicide: Considerations for the Autism Community
  • Scenarios

1:15 PM- 2:15 PM | Jessica Schwartzman, Anne Kirby, Lisa Morgan, and Shari Jager-Hyman

  • Continued from session 3

2:30 PM- 3:30 PM | Panel Presentation moderated by Elina Birmingham
Lisa Morgan, Anne Kirby, Shari Jager-Hyman, Rachel Moseley, and Jessica Schwartzman

  • What we know and bring in; general theory; where we need to go as a field, including personal experience.

Professionals

Early Bird Rate until March 1, 2024: $325

Regular rate starting March 2, 2024: $375

Family Members, Autistic Adults & Students

Early Bird Rate until March 1, 2024: $275

Regular rate starting March 2, 2024: $325

Due to popular demand, registration has been extended until 11:59 pm PDT on Monday, April 1st

Group Discounts

Registering 3 or more attendees at a time? Receive a 10% discount!

Educators Rate

Special rates for British Columbia educators. View details here.

Early Bird: $225; Regular Rate: $275

Friends of ACT Receive 10% Off

Join here to become a Friend of ACT. This FREE program keeps you up to date with all the latest events and resources from ACT, and provides a 10% discount on a single ticket for all events.

Bursaries

ACT wants to ensure equitable access to all of our events. Bursaries are available where registration cost is a barrier. Full bursaries are available for Indigenous people/people who work at organizations that support Indigenous people. You are encouraged to apply for bursaries as soon as possible as funds are limited.

Apply by completing ACT’s Bursary Form before March 25, 2024. If you identify as Indigenous, or work for an Indigenous organization, complete our Bursary Form for Indigenous Communities.

Donate to our bursary fund.

Autism Funding

If you wish to use your child’s Autism Funding to pay for your registration, ACT can invoice the Autism Funding Branch directly. If you are paying in advance to be reimbursed, you must contact the Autism Funding Branch for approval first.

For information on how to register with your Autism Funding, visit Workshop Registration Using Autism Funding.

Click to view full map

Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre,  
Segal Rooms (Room 1400 – 1430)
515 West Hastings St, Vancouver, BC  

Click to view full map 

This venue is readily accessible by public transit. Visit Translink.ca for directions and schedules for the West Coast Express, SkyTrain, SeaBus and bus routes. Please note that parking in downtown Vancouver is costly, but there are several parkades nearby.  

Please note ACT cannot accept responsibility for any expenses incurred by the participant from charges that involve travel, accommodations, or other costs related to attending an ACT event. These are the sole responsibility of the participant as well as all risks associated with non-refundable, non-changeable purchases. ACT strongly recommends that participants purchase cancellation insurance for travel, etc. where possible.  

ACT has negotiated preferred rates at four downtown Vancouver hotels near SFU Harbour Centre. Please visit this page for hotel details including links to directions.

Level: Beginner to Advanced

Focus: Mental health and suicide risk in the Autistic population

For: Parents/caregivers/family members, Autistic youth and adults, friends of Autistic youth and adults, and professionals including educators, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, behaviour analysts, health care providers, and first responders (e.g., Ambulance Attendants, Fire Fighters).

Autism Specific?: Yes

CART captioning and ASL interpretation will be provided at the event.

Share this page:
EmailFacebookTwitterPinterest

Mindfulness and Compassion in Parenting – Spring 2024

Mindfulness and Compassion in Parenting

An 11-Week 90-minute Program for Parents and Caregivers of Autistic Children and Adolescents

Wednesdays from April 3 to June 12, 2024
6:30pm – 8:00pm Pacific Time

Live on Zoom

Facilitated by Georgina Robinson, PhD & Zoey Ryan, BSc.

Applications for this program have closed.

Those accepted onto the program will be invited to register. This program has a fee of $400.

Apply for the program
Georgina Robinson
Zoey Ryan

Due to a high number of applications for the previous program, this is the second group we will be running in 2024.

This will be an accepting, non-judgmental group dedicated to building the emotional resilience of parents caring for Autistic children and adolescents (ages 0-19). Participation in this group will teach skills to help you recharge your emotional and physical reservoir, cope with stress effectively, improve your caregiving relationship and build associated skills in your child.

Attend this program to learn how to:

  • Activate your soothing system and regulate feelings of threat, worry and self-criticism.
  • Recognize your stress patterns and respond more skillfully to situations involving yourself and those you care for.
  • Attend to the needs of those you care for with kindness, patience, and wisdom.
  • Increase the emotional strength, well being and problem-solving abilities of those you care for.
  • Create healthier and more productive relationships between family members.
  • Learn how to self-regulate and model adaptive responses to stress, which may translate to better co-regulation with your child during difficult times.

An Opportunity to Engage in Research

This is the fourth time that ACT has sponsored this program in collaboration with researchers at the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Lab at Simon Fraser University. The results from the programs held over the past two years showed positive results, including significant improvements in mindfulness, self-compassion, parental mental health, family quality of life, parental connections with children and skills to cope with stress.

This is an opportunity for participants to expand this research and create more informative outcomes. Applicants will be asked to complete questionnaires both pre and post program. All responses will be coded, and participant identities will remain anonymous. Neither ACT staff nor the group facilitators will have access to individual participant data.

Compassion in Parenting is a 11-week course that combines empirically based practices from Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), along with research that supports caregiver and family wellbeing. 

This program has been adapted specifically for caregivers of children with Autism, and participants in this group will have the opportunity to connect with other parents facing similar parenting experiences.  

This is a skill development program that requires active engagement and participation. In order to fully benefit, participants will be expected to be free of childcare or work obligations during the 90-minute sessions and will have access to a learning lab to further their skill development.  

For those who devote their lives to caring for children with significant needs, this is an opportunity to dedicate some time to important self care, learning how to treat oneself with kindness, and soothe any ragged emotions during difficult times. Participants will learn self-compassion practices that can help them combat compassion fatigue. The stress reduction component will teach them how to identify reactive patterns and respond to their own needs and the needs of those they care for more effectively. Caregivers will learn tools to help them manage stress, model compassion and kindness, and listen deeply to better support the needs of their children and family.

Comments from Past Participants:

  • “This program has been an amazing way to connect with my kiddos. It’s all around been an opportunity that allows me to feel something for me again, so I can reflect calmness and be present for my children again. I am very grateful”.
  • “This course has really helped me to stop feeling guilty. I learned how important it is to look after ourselves so we can be strong and present for our children.”
  • “I often compare myself and my children with others and I feel like a failure. Not in this class. I’ve learned to be aware of our own, and our kids own, unique beauty and worth.”
  • “This program has been life-changing. My husband says he has been noticing how much different I am in how I can cope with daily stressors.”

Georgina Robinson PhD

Dr. Robinson has a doctoral degree in educational and counselling psychology from the University of British Columbia. Georgina brings over 25 years of experience working with children, families, and schools with particular focus on supporting those with ASD and complex needs. She considers her greatest learning being her experience raising her own children including a son with ASD.  Georgina is passionate about supporting caregivers, those who provide support to others and are at risk for compassion fatigue.

Dr. Robinson is a certified School Psychologist, trained teacher of Mindful Self Compassion and Making Friends with Yourself, with additional training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy. Georgina is grateful to have received training from international leaders in Mindfulness Based Interventions including Susan Woods, Mark Williams, Rebecca Crane, Christopher Germer, Kristen Neff and Lorraine Hobbs.

“I have experienced through my own personal practice how mindfulness enhances my ability to develop insight into my own patterns of thoughts, emotions and actions, as well as the recognition of the associated bodily sensations I was not aware of previously. MSC added the awareness of the huge role my self-critic played, contributing to anxiety, and how nourishing it is to allow myself to receive kindness and compassion which I previously thought was only appropriate to provide to others. I am eager to share the power of Mindfulness interventions with those who deserve to benefit from this gift of resiliency.”   

To learn more about this program, please contact Georgina at [email protected]

Zoey Ryan BSc.

Zoey is a Health Educator and Professional Certified Coach (Life, Leadership and Organizational Development) who has worked in health care and health care management for over 30 years.

She started her career as a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (BCDNA Registrant 1980 – 2003) and most recently combined her coach training and health background to work as the Program Manager for a Community based health program for families. During this time, understanding the positive outcomes of a mind/body approach to stress management and health, Zoey completed Hatha and Pre-Natal Yoga teacher training prior to taking the “Mindful Self Compassion” program herself. Finding great benefit from the program, Zoey continued on with the three year program to become a ‘Trained Teacher with the Center for Mindful Self Compassion’.

Dr. Robinson will invite applicants who have been accepted to register for the course after Thursday, February 23, 2024.

This program has a $500 registration fee, ACT has a limited number of partial bursaries up to $200. If you require a bursary to support your registration, please indicate so on the application form.

The use of Autism Funding can be used to cover the cost of registration under the training category. 

Autism Funding

Do not submit an AFU request until you have been notified on February 23, 2024 of your acceptance into the program.

If you wish to use your child’s Autism Funding (BC only) to pay for your registration, ACT can invoice the Autism Funding Branch directly. If you are paying in advance to be reimbursed, you must contact the Autism Funding Branch for approval first.

For information on how to register with your Autism Funding, visit Workshop Registration Using Autism Funding.

For more information regarding program costs please contact [email protected].

ACT Events

Payment Details

Share this page:
EmailFacebookTwitterPinterest