The Clinician’s Guide to Understanding Autism and ADHD

How to Provide Compassionate, Evidence-Based, Neuro-Affirming Care to Neurodivergent Adults 

by Jennifer Kemp, MPsych

5.5 CE credits available
Please read the complete course information below prior to registering.
Target Audience:

This course is designed for mental health professionals including counselors, social workers, psychologists, MFTs, nurses, physicians and more. This course is open to all levels.

Schedule: (5.5 hours total)

This is a non-live distance training that is fully online and available on-demand.

Module 1 – Foundations of Affirming Therapy (52 minutes)

  • A Journey of Self-Discovery
  • What Is Neurodivergence?
  • Neuro-Affirming Language Handout
  • Learning to Hide
  • How You Protect Yourself Exercise
  • Related Neurotypes
  • An Affirming Perspective
  • Strengths and Difficulties
  • Hyperfixations and Monotropism
  • Exploring Client Interests

Module 2 – Neurodivergent Burnout (56 minutes)

  • Effects and Symptoms
  • Causes
  • Burnout in Therapy
  • Alleviating Burnout
  • Undiagnosed Clients
  • Screening Tools
  • Redefining Expectations

Module 3 – Regulating Through the Senses (42 minutes)

  • Sensory Processing Differences
  • Stimming
  • Welcoming Environments
  • The Eighth Sense
  • Building Interoceptive Skills
  • Noticing the Warning Signs of Burnout

Module 4 – Understanding and Managing Emotions (61 minutes)

  • Emotional Experiences and Alexithymia
  • Building Emotional Literacy
  • Meltdowns and Shutdowns
  • Distressing and Painful Habits
  • Noticing and Labeling
  • Rejection-Sensitive Dysphoria
  • Caring for Your Vulnerable Self (Exercise)
  • Learning to Allow
  • Soothing Rhythm Breathing (Exercise)

Module 5 – Getting Things Done (51 minutes)

  • Executive Functioning
  • Neuronormative Ideals
  • Asking for Help
  • Regulating Up and Down
  • Making Tasks NICE
  • Medication
  • Self-Compassion
  • Scaffolding Executive Functioning

Module 6 – Connection and Belonging (69 minutes)

  • Social Preferences
  • Finding Belonging
  • Reimagining Friendships
  • Self-Disclosure
  • Communication Differences
  • Unmasking
  • Safe Spaces
  • Saying “No”
  • Neurodivergent Pride
  • An Ongoing Journey
Overall Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Use a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic framework to improve the effectiveness of therapy for neurodivergent clients
  2. Describe key neurobiological information processing differences associated with Autism and ADHD and adapt therapy to better meet clients’ unique needs
  3. Distinguish between behaviors that reflect valid neurodivergent preferences or self-regulation strategies and behaviors that could be a target for therapeutic intervention
  4. Discuss how to normalize clients’ focus on interests and integrate their interests into your work as a source of motivation, self-regulation, and joy
  5. Identify neurodivergent burnout, as well as its causes, and develop a plan to overcome it
  6. Describe the nature of sensory hypersensitivities and hyposensitivities and the impact they can have on an individual, and help clients identify strategies to alleviate sensory stress
  7. Identify strategies to build clients’ interoceptive awareness so they can better interpret their emotions and prevent overwhelm
  8. Describe ways to scaffold executive functioning by harnessing strengths and reducing mental load to support client progress both in and outside of therapy
  9. Describe one way to take a practical approach to helping clients to safely unmask and find safe social connections based on shared neurodivergent preferences
Grievance Procedures for CE Activities

Should a participant in the course be unsatisfied with the course, the participant should immediately contact our customer support team to file a grievance. Within five days, a customer support team member will contact the participant by email and/or phone and attempt to resolve the issue.

We will investigate and assess the issue from the perspective of the participant and every effort will be made to resolve the issue. If the issue is not resolved to the satisfaction of the participant, the participant will be offered a refund per the Refund and Cancellation Policy guidelines.

To file a grievance, please contact us at courses@praxiscet.com.

ADA Accommodations

To request accommodations for disabilities, please send an email to courses@praxiscet.com.

Contact Information:

Please email us at courses@praxiscet.com with any questions.

CE Information:

This professional continuing education activity was sponsored by Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger. Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger, who has been approved as a provider of continuing education by the organizations listed below, maintains responsibility for the educational activity offered and for following the standards and regulations for the organizations listed below. This non-live on-demand course is approved for 5.5 CE hours by the organizations listed below. There was no commercial support for this activity.

Joint Accreditation: In support of improving patient care, Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 5.5 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.

Nursing: Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger designates this activity for a maximum of 5.5 ANCC contact hours.

Physicians: Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger designates this enduring material for a maximum of 5.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Psychologists: Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.

Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 5.5 clinical continuing education credits.

National Counselors: Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6759. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

NY Counselors: Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0198.

NY Social Workers: Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0467.

NY Psychologists: Praxis Continuing Education and Training by New Harbinger is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0002.

NOTE: Many state boards accept offerings accredited by national or other state organizations. If your state is not listed, please check with your professional licensing board to determine whether the accreditations listed are accepted.

CE Course Launch Date: 2/2025

Expiration Date/Next scheduled review date: 2/2028

Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships

Praxis is responsible for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of all CE activities certified for credit. When an educational activity is offered for medical (CME), Nursing (ANCC), and/or Psychology (APA) continuing education credit, participants must be informed as to the source, amount, nature, and disposition of any funding used to support the activity, whether in the form of educational grants, cash contributions, or in-kind contributions. Individuals in a position to influence course content must also disclose whether they have one or more relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

We define ineligible companies as those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. There is no minimum financial threshold; individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies. We ask that disclosures are made regardless of whether the individual views the financial relationships as relevant to the education. For more information on the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, please visit accme.org/standards.

All those in a position to control the content of an education activity are asked to disclose any relevant financial relationships they have with any ineligible companies.

There is no commercial support for this activity.

None of the other planners or presenters for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

How to Obtain Your CE Certificate:

Once you begin the course, you will be provided a unique link and instruction on how to access your post-test, evaluation, and course certificate through our online portal.

To receive CE credit, you must attend the course in full, pass the post-tests with a score of 80% or higher, and complete the course evaluation. No partial credit will be awarded. If you do not pass the test on your first attempt, you will have one chance to retake the test to earn a CE certificate.

You will be able to take your test as you progress through the course. You may save your work and return at any time to continue working on the test before submitting.

Technical Requirements:

In order to complete this course, attendees will need:

  • A computer with a monitor, keyboard, and a mouse or a mobile device/tablet
  • Speakers/headphones: either built‐in to your computer/device or external (plugged into your computer)
  • An internet connection, either wired or wireless. A minimum connection speed of 3 megabits is required to stream clear, standard definition video.
  • The course is supported on most up-to-date internet browsers (Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Brave, etc.)
  • A PDF viewer such as Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • An email address
  • [Optional] A printer or access to a printer (to print any of the PDFs, if desired)
References:

1) Jellett, R. and R. L. Flower (2024). How can psychologists meet the needs of autistic adults? Autism, 28(2): 520-522.

2) Morgan, J. (2023). Exploring women’s experiences of diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood: A qualitative study. Advances in Mental Health, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/18387357.2023.2268756

3) Fullen, T., Jones, S.L., Emerson, L.M. and Adamou, M., 2020. Psychological treatments in adult ADHD: a systematic review. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 42, pp.500-518.

4) Nimmo-Smith, V., Merwood, A., Hank, D., Brandling, J., Greenwood, R., Skinner, L., ... & Rai, D. (2020). Non-pharmacological interventions for adult ADHD: a systematic review. Psychological medicine, 50(4), 529-541.

5) Cope, R., & Remington, A. (2022). The strengths and abilities of autistic people in the workplace. Autism in Adulthood, 4(1), 22-31. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2021.0037.

6) Hotez, E., Rosenau, K. A., Fernandes, P., Eagan, K., Shea, L., & Kuo, A. A. (2022). “A national cross-sectional study of the characteristics, strengths, and challenges of college students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” Curēus, 14(1), e21520. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.21520.

7) Verhulst, I., MacLennan, K., Haffey, A., & Tavassoli, T. (2022). The perceived causal relations between sensory reactivity differences and anxiety symptoms in autistic adults. Autism in Adulthood, 4(3), 183-192. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2022.0018.