Program Information:
Title: "Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan"
Presenter: Diane Kimball, LMHC
Date: September 15, 2023
Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am
(Announcements, networking) 9:00 - 9:30 am
(Presentation) 9:30 - 10:30 am
Event Location/Modality: Virtual via Zoom
*Your Zoom Link will arrive one to two days before the event.*
Presentation Summary:
This presentation will provide an opportunity for participants to evaluate and differentiate symptomology and characteristics of individuals who fall in the mild to moderate categories of Autism Spectrum Disorder, from childhood through adulthood. Families often seek help for their child due to puzzling or difficult behavior exhibited throughout many or all environments. Many older children, teens and adults are undiagnosed, but suffer from anxiety, lack of meaningful relationships (or difficulty relating appropriately), academic and work difficulties, and end up seeking mental health services. An attuned therapist can positively impact the future of their client with effective therapy, know when and how to involve the family, and know when to refer an individual for a psychological evaluation for an accurate diagnosis. There is an increase of ASD in our community, and we can be prepared to provide care with compassion and competence.
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will identify early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) found in children, teens, and adults.
2. Participants will learn how Theory of Mind, Central Coherence Theory, and Executive Functioning impact the present level of functioning in individuals with ASD and identify how to address these issues in session.
3. Participants will learn how to utilize the therapeutic counseling relationship to promote change in their client.
4. Participants will understand the importance of addressing “flexible thinking” on an ongoing basis and identify ways to incorporate into sessions.
Speaker Bio:
Diane Kimball, LMHC, is the owner and clinical director of Kimball Counseling Associates (KCA), offering specialized therapy to children, teenagers and adults who have experienced abuse, trauma, neglect or exposure to domestic violence, exhibiting complex trauma symptomology including PTSD and dissociative disorders. Diane is EMDR certified, an Approved EMDR Consultant, a certified Trauma Model therapist, Florida Qualified Supervisor, and is heavily influenced by the empirically based Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) approach. As a TBRI educator, Diane works with many clients who have profound attachment injuries, and she engages with clients who have experienced childhood abuse, adoption, foster care, as well as those who are on the autism spectrum or identify as neurodivergent, with a focus on developing specialized EMDR techniques to foster and increase flexible thinking.
