Family Therapy for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder & Intellectual Delay

This workshop focuses on supporting clinicians in viewing the family as a critical partner in care when working with youth with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual delay (ID). Why? ASD and ID profoundly impact family life. Clinicians will learn about mastering critical skills, including how to build and maintain rewarding family relationships, creating growth-enhancing family-based social activities for non-verbal or limited verbal youth, and parent-guided behavioral therapy techniques.

This introductory program will demonstrate, using video-recorded sessions, how clinicians use a family systems lens integrated with play and behavioral therapy to strengthen the joining process with caregivers. Underlying this process is the focus on enhancing executive parenting through guided in-session practice, especially caregiver-child co-regulation.

The target audience will be professionals working with families and youth diagnosed with ASD and IDD who would like to increase their ability to provide meaningful intervention. This may also include clinicians who work in outpatient, drug and alcohol programs, community-based services, and residential treatment facilities.

BHTEN is a co-sponsor of this workshop. CEUs are available.