2-Day Certificate Training in Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for High-Functioning Autism: Improve Social Skills, Mood and Challenging Behaviors in Children, Adolescents & Young Adults – Cara Marker Daily
Every individual with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) is extremely different, which can make providing treatment very difficult.
They have unique abilities in visual-spatial processing, rule-following, sensory perception, and detailed memory, but also deficits in executive functioning, integrative processing, and other complex cognitive skills. Thus, they are more prone to the co-occurring challenges of anxiety, depression, aggression, poor self-regulation, inattention, and social skill deficits.
Watch autism expert and author, Cara Daily, PhD, BCBA, for this 2-day certificate training and learn how to integrate essential cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) tools, evidence-based behavioral interventions and successful psychosocial techniques to effectively teach your clients with HFA (0-25 years) to regulate their emotions, develop impulse control, and improve their behaviors.
You will receive in-depth specialized training in using:
- Assessment tools to guide treatment programming
- Motivational interviewing, mindfulness, exposure and response prevention, social stories, social skills programs and social autopsies
- Comprehensive manualized treatment program for reducing anxiety
- CBT to address comorbid disorders, poor social skills, adaptive behavior deficits, special interests, poor attention and motivation, and any school or work-based problems
Through engaging case studies, and hands-on demonstrations and activities, you will leave this training with the knowledge and skills required to confidently assess and treat your clients with autism!
- Assess, screen and diagnose High-Functioning Autism (HFA) using DSM-5® and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria.
- Differentiate between neurological abilities and impairments in clients diagnosed with HFA.
- Create a comprehensive treatment plan that targets symptoms of HFA based on results of a psychosocial assessment.
- Compare and evaluate empirically-validated strategies for treating children diagnosed with HFA.
- Evaluate and develop your communication style to facilitate effective, reciprocal conversations with clients diagnosed with HFA.
- Utilize developmentally appropriate interventions to teach your clients with HFA how to engage in appropriate sexual behaviors.
- Employ sensory-based relaxation techniques to reduce symptoms of anxiety in your clients with HFA.
- Implement visual strategies to assist clients with executive functioning deficits.
- Use case examples to identify the two major functions of a specific behavior.
- Evaluate the ethical dilemmas associated with utilizing specific punishment techniques, including time-out and seclusion.
- Utilize techniques of mindfulness, CBT, and family therapy to treat depression in clients with HFA.
- Assist clients in identifying thoughts and feelings in anxious situations and develop a plan for effective coping.
- Incorporate techniques of exposure and response prevention in treating OCD with clients who have been diagnosed with HFA.
- Recognize the potential side effects of psychotropic medication that can mimic or cause behavioral issues related to HFA.
Diagnostic Criteria
- ICD-10 versus DSM-5®
- Social (pragmatic) communication disorder
- Comorbid disorders: Conceptual framework
Screening and Assessment Tools to Guide Treatment Planning
- Anxiety/depression and other comorbid disorders
- Social skills
- Career planning
- Sex education
Brain Function: How the Brain with Autism Works
- Latest research in ASD brain development
- Enhanced versus impaired abilities
- Information processing: typical brain versus brain with autism
- Activities: Experience how an individual with ASD processes tasks
INTERVENTIONS, STRATEGIES, MODALITIES AND CASE STUDIES FOR:
Social-Communication
- Visual systems to improve communication
- Teach turn taking and pragmatic language in conversations
- Programs to assist in generalizing social skills
- Video modeling and role play to teach social rules
- Social stories and social autopsies
- Case study: 6-year-old female, hand flapping, rocking, and high pitch squealing sounds
ADHD and Executive Functioning Deficits
- Staying on-task and motivation
- Schedules, timelines, web diagramming
- More preferred tasks
- Creating home base
- Cast study: 11-year-old male, difficulty planning/organizing, needs help with pragmatic language skills
Noncompliance and Oppositional Behaviors
- Applied behavioral analysis techniques
- Token economy systems
- Functional Behavioral Assessments
- Cast study: 10-year-old male, impulsive, engages in stealing behaviors
Sexuality and Challenging Sexual Behaviors
- Body awareness, exploration of self, sexual arousal and puberty
- Steps to dating and sexual relationships
- Education on masturbation and pornography
- Decrease stalking behaviors
- Case study: 14-year-old male, frequent masturbation and stalking behaviors
Coping Cat Training for Anxiety and Specific Phobias
- Recognize and understand emotional and physical reactions to anxiety
- Clarifying thoughts and feelings in anxious situations
- Develop plans for effective coping
- Evaluate performance and giving self-reinforcement
- Case study: 9-year-old male, generalized anxiety disorder, and school phobia
Exposure and Response Prevention for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Mapping OCD
- Creating the tool kit
- Family sessions
- Relapse prevention
- Case study: 22-year-old female, excessive hand washing
Psychosocial Interventions for Depression
- Cognitive-behavioral therapies
- Mindfulness-based therapies
- Social and vocational programs
- Family therapy
- Case study: 15-year-old male, hates school and has a plan, intent, and timeline for suicide
Psychopharmacological
- Commonly prescribed medications
- Medication efficacy
- Risks versus benefits
- Case study: 17-year-old male, flat affect, on medication for ADHD and anxiety
Clinical Considerations
- Gender Dysphoria/LGBTQ
- Multicultural
- Suicide
- Limitations of research and potential risks
- Case Study: 19-year-old female, identifies as nonbinary and wears binder
Ethical Challenges in Autism
- Welfare of the individual
- Informed consent
- Use of restraints
- Time-out versus seclusion
- Case study: 8-year-old male, screaming, standing on top of table with scissors in his hand
