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7615 SURROUNDED BY THE SPECTRUM: PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR FAMILIES AFFECTED BY ASD

Saturday, July 11, 2015: 10:15 AM-11:30 AM

Room Number: 112 (Colorado Convention Center)

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Recent research confirms that the traits of ASD can be seen among family members with and without a diagnosis. This highly interactive workshop explores the unique family dynamics that result and, most importantly, offers concrete strategies for decreasing stress and improving family relationships.

Workshop Activity	Educational Objective Adressed
Introduction, description of the educational objectives, and setting the agenda for the workshop
Introduction of participants, and “ice breaker” activity
Lecture: Defining the Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP) and summarizing current research that confirms that autism traits tend to run in families	Define and describe three attributes of the "Broad Autism Phenotype"
Activity: After being shown a sample, participants do a family Genogram of their own family or one they serve to identify individuals with an ASD diagnosis and those with and without BAP traits.	↓
Lecture: Present the basics of Family Systems Theory (Bowen et. Al) and how family members react to stressors.	Compare and contrast the impact of ASD on various family roles and relationships (parent to parent, sibling to sibling, parent to child) in a Family System's context
Discussion: Participants will be asked to share experiences relating to the dyads of parent to parent, parent to child with ASD, parent to neurotypical child, and sibling with ASD to neurotypical sibling. Examples will be utilized to identify common strengths and stressors among various relationships.	↓
Lecture: Research in successful cross-cultural communication will be presented as a context and framework for developing strategies for ASD families. First-hand resources for understanding how individuals with Autism think and process will be presented including: Temple Grandin, Phd., John Elder Robinson and others as well as evidence-based research on processing differences.	Develop new coping skills and strategies for one or more of the common stressors unique to families affected by ASD and apply them to their own family or families they serve
Activity: Participants will work in small groups using a handout to develop coping strategies unique to their individual families and share them with each other. They will then share them with the large group. Presenter will offer additional strategies.	_↓
Wrap up and review of key points. Evaluation and thanking audtience for participation. Provision of key tools and references for further resources on the topic.

Learning Objectives:

Define and describe three attributes of the "Broad Autism Phenotype"
Compare and contrast the impact of ASD on various family roles and relationships (parent to parent, sibling to sibling, parent to child) in a Family System's context
Develop new coping skills and strategies for one or more of the common stressors unique to families affected by ASD and apply them to their own family or families they serve

Content Area: Family and Sibling Support

Presenter:

Maleita Olson, LCSW, BSL
Executive Director
Spectra Support Services LLC

Maleita Olson, LCSW is the founder of Spectra Support Services, LLC. She is a therapist, behavior specialist and Sibshop trainer, with both a sibling and son on the spectrum. As President of ASCEND: The Autism/Asperger alliance for Greater Philadelphia, she frequently presents at local, state and national trainings on ASD.

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