December 2024: Treatment for Families on the Autism Spectrum

CE Hours: 4.5
Cost: $90
Instructor: Scott Browning, PhD, ABPP

A Live, Interactive Webconference

Cost: This training is free but open only to supervisors and behavioral health professionals working in agencies contracted with CFBT

Friday, December 6, 2024, All Training Groups via Live Interactive Zoom
8:25am-1:05pm

Children and adolescents on the Autism Spectrum, already at risk, become exceptionally vulnerable when the family is struggling to function, relationships are fragile and negative emotions are rampant. For caregivers to effectively parent the child or for therapists to effectively help the family with the child, actions must be grounded in an understanding of the psychology of the child on the spectrum (e.g., cognitive rigidity, difficulty with perspective taking and emotion processing).  This workshop, therefore, provides an in-depth overview of what autism is, how it impacts social-emotional processing and emotion-regulation, and the challenges this can create for the child, the siblings and the caregivers.  Also identified are common negative family patterns that can exacerbate the social-emotional and behavioral problems of the child on the Spectrum.   

Although the primary focus of this workshop is on how the family-based therapist can facilitate more functional family relationships and improve parenting functions, a review of evidence-based interventions currently used to support children on the Autism Spectrum will be provided.  The child is likely to have an IEP at school and be involved with other service providers.  This means the case management (service coordination role of the family-based therapist) is often critical when working with a family who has a child with a developmental disability. Videotape segments will be used to demonstrate 1) the challenges of family life with a child on the spectrum and 2) the clinical directions of working with caregivers who have a child on the spectrum. Strategies adapted from Greene’s Collaborative Problem-Solving approach are introduced that can help caregivers become more effective in managing meltdowns.

Objectives 

As a result of attending this training, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder
  2. Explain the link between common behavioral problems and the psychology of the child on the Spectrum 
  3. Identify individually focused supports and treatments that have evidence of being helpful to the child on the Spectrum
  4. Utilize the Autism Trait Scale for discussing the strengths and weaknesses of a child on the autism spectrum.
  5. Describe strategies for supporting caregivers to become more effective in de-escalating and soothing the child who is having a meltdown 

This is an intermediate level course. The target audience is behavioral health professionals working within Pennsylvania’s Family Based program. This is a live synchronous distance learning activity conducted in real time, allowing for simultaneous participation of participants and instructors from different locations.

Agenda

8:25am-10:30am: Focus on Objectives 1-3
10:30am-10:40am: Break
10:40am-1:05pm: Focus on Objectives 4-5

About the Trainer

Dr. Browning is a professor in the Department of in the Department of Professional Psychology at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia.  He is a noted authority on psychological treatment with stepfamilies, families of homicide, and families on the spectrum.  He has published numerous books, chapters and articles on these topics, as well as on the genogram.  Dr. Browning is a diplomat in couple and family psychology and is part of the clinical training team of the National Stepfamily Resource Center.  In 2017 Dr. Browning was given an award for Distinguished Contributions to Family Psychology by division 43 of the American Psychological Association. other concerns.

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