Format
Individual Presentation
First Presenter's Institution
Courageous Intentions, LLC
First Presenter’s Email Address
marylittle@courageousintentionsllc.com
First Presenter's Brief Biography
Mary Little is a Licensed Clinical Social worker living in Savannah, Georgia. She completed her MSSW at the University of Tennessee. Mary has a rich personal and professional history centered around specializing in autism, ADHD, and trauma-informed care and advocacy. Mary’s work focuses on providing therapy, advocacy and education to neuro-divergent clients of all ages and empowering communities to break past myths and misunderstandings to enact better practices that enhance the well-being of these populations through enhancement of resources and support.
Location
Session Six
Strand #1
Heart: Social & Emotional Skills
Strand #2
Health: Mental & Physical Health
Relevance
Supporting neuro-divergent populations require a lens that encompasses a whole person approach. Best practice for working with autism and ADHD demands the awareness that these populations have diverse needs spanning across social, emotional, medical and mental health. This presentation will cover the variability in how each of these areas are experienced by autistic and ADHD individuals to enhance integration of supports across community, school and medical climates. To treat one area, all must be considered and integrated.
Brief Program Description
This presentation aims to spark intentional conversation and change geared towards shattering stigmas around the autistic and ADHD experience. Attendees will enhance their understanding of neuro-divergent populations in order to modify environments and provide interventions aligning with trauma informed care and inclusion. Attendees will also be given the opportunity to embrace the power of self disclosure and mentorship.
Summary
We are on the cutting edge of enacting substantial change in how the world views and responds to autistic and ADHD individuals. There has been an explosive outpouring of anecdotal experiences from teens and adults that has rattled the norm of society and medical models. Clinician’s with experience in these populations are challenging systems in place that continue to perpetuate barriers to equity in schools, communities and medical care. This call for change requires professionals to broaden their understanding of the autistic and ADHD experience to ensure that individuals are treated as the experts on themselves, reinforcing respect and autonomy for populations of all ages and levels of neurodivergent experiences.
This presentation seeks to embolden those in positions of power to support autistic and ADHD youth by enhancing understanding of the diagnostic picture, debunking myths and normalizing the unique individuality and needs of these populations. This presentation will guide the audience through strategies for creating and implementing neurodivergent affirming systems across multiple environments and ages. The attendees will learn how to promote nervous system regulation that enhances social and cognitive functioning, as well as how to engage with the autistic and ADHD individual in the collaborative process by treating them as the expert on their experience.
The rapidly growing body of research surrounding the treatment and understanding of these populations can only be enhanced by the collaborative approach across multiple disciplines. To understand these populations we must understand the reality of the internal experience, the unspoken hardships, and the invisible limitations. This presentation will close with a review of the power of self disclosure amongst professionals and through the modeling and normalization of autism and ADHD we can not only create change amongst systems but instill hope in the generations we are nurturing.
Evidence
This presentation will draw support from the presenters' clinical experiences treating and advocating for autistic and ADHD populations as well as publications referencing diagnostic frameworks, classroom integration, and the neurodiversity movement.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.
Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, [ADA]. (1990). Pub. L. No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 328 (1990).
Chawner SJRA, Owen MJ. Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics. Front Psychiatry. 2022 Sep 2;13:981691. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.981691. PMID: 36117659; PMCID: PMC9479184.
Gobbo, K., & Shmulsky, S. (2019). Should Neurodiversity Culture Influence How Instructors Teach? Journal Title, Volume(4), Page Range. ISSN 1096-1453.
Howe, F.E.J., Stagg, S.D. How Sensory Experiences Affect Adolescents with an Autistic Spectrum Condition within the Classroom. J Autism Dev Disord 46, 1656–1668 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2693-1
Kapp, S. K. (Ed.). (2020). Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement: Stories from the Frontline. Palgrave Macmillan. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8437-0
Rentenbach, B., Prislovsky, L., & Gabriel, R. (2017). Valuing differences:: Neurodiversity in the classroom. Phi Delta Kappan, 98(8), 59–63. https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721717708297
Virtual Mentor. 2012;14(6):503-510. doi: 10.1001/virtualmentor.2012.14.6.oped1-1206.
Learning Objective 1
Clarifying diagnostic dynamics, debunk myths, and learn the variability in unique external and internal autistic and ADHD experiences.
Learning Objective 2
Identify opportunities to revamp systems to promote proactive accommodations for nervous system regulation and learning. Discuss trauma informed strategies when responding to nervous system dysregulation and crisis. Incorporating individuals in their plan of care.
Learning Objective 3
Discuss how creating a neurodivergent affirming environment helps everyone build confidence, treat others with respect and instill hope. Inspire professionals to lean into self disclosure as a tool for connecting with autistic and adhd populations.
Keyword Descriptors
autism, adhd, neurodivergent movement, nervous system regulation
Presentation Year
2024
Start Date
3-5-2024 11:30 AM
Recommended Citation
Little, Mary, "The Real Experts: Understanding Autism and ADHD Through the Lens of the Individual" (2024). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 56.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2024/2024/56
Included in
Disability and Equity in Education Commons, Disability Studies Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, Social Justice Commons, Social Work Commons, Special Education and Teaching Commons, Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons
The Real Experts: Understanding Autism and ADHD Through the Lens of the Individual
Session Six
This presentation aims to spark intentional conversation and change geared towards shattering stigmas around the autistic and ADHD experience. Attendees will enhance their understanding of neuro-divergent populations in order to modify environments and provide interventions aligning with trauma informed care and inclusion. Attendees will also be given the opportunity to embrace the power of self disclosure and mentorship.
