Traditional views of autism and ADHD often miss the mark when it comes to women. Research shows that neurodivergence manifests differently in women, leading to widespread misdiagnoses and delayed support.
The impacts can be profound, with many women facing feelings of inadequacy, the strain of masking, disordered eating, cycles of unhealthy relationships, and more. These women are seeking help more now than ever before.
But providing the therapy neurodivergent women need requires a specialized skillset rather than reliance on outdated tools based on male norms.
In this groundbreaking course, join psychotherapist and neurodiversity specialist Jennifer Gerlach, who brings both professional expertise and personal insight as an autistic woman. You’ll gain critical tools to support neurodivergent women on their journey to self-understanding and empowerment, including:
Insightful diagnostic and intervention techniques rooted in the latest research on female neurodiversity
Targeted therapeutic approaches from ACT and CFT to cultivate self-compassion in autistic women
Powerful strategies for unmasking and fostering authenticity in relationships, workplaces, school settings, and beyond
Register now and become the clinician these women need!
Credit
Program Information
Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationships
All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.
Canada Credit - CE Information Coming Soon
Continuing education credit information is coming soon for this live webcast.
Jennifer Gerlach, LCSW, is a psychotherapist in private practice in southern Illinois specializing in the crossroads of mental health and neurodiversity. Jennifer is the author of The Psychosis and Mental Health Recovery Workbook: Tools for Young Adults from ACT, DBT and Recovery-Oriented CBT and writes a blog for Psychology Today entitled ‘Beyond Mental Health: Defying Stereotypes and False Limitations.’
An advocate for neurodiversity-affirming care, Jennifer has provided training to hundreds of clinicians nationwide on topics of neurodivergent youth, and empowering young adults living with mental illness, psychosis, and mental health recovery. She is an autistic person herself who offers a unique perspective infused with lived experience.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Jennifer Gerlach maintains a private practice and receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Jennifer Gerlach has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Additional Info
Program Information
Access Period for Live Webcast
For live CE credit, you must watch the live webcast in its entirety at its scheduled time and complete the CE quiz and evaluation within one week. You will have access for 90 days after the program for review.
Webcast Schedule
Please note: There will be one 15-minute break mid-afternoon. Actual break start times are at the discretion of the speaker. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.
Identify gender-specific diagnostic tools to accurately assess autism and ADHD in women.
Utilize therapeutic approaches from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) to foster self-compassion and resilience in neurodivergent women.
Determine intervention strategies that support neurodivergent women in unmasking to embrace their authentic selves across personal and professional environments.
Choose trauma-informed interventions to build self-worth in neurodivergent women.
Outline
Neurodiversity: An Overview
Neurodiversity introduction
Autism and ADHD as processing styles
Autism and ADHD in Women Neurodiversity Looks Different in Pink
The female phenotype of autism
Three common traits in the female presentations of autism and ADHD
Challenges neurodivergent women face: Self-harm, eating disorders, sexual assault, suicide
Common special interests in autistic females
Camouflage and other compensatory behaviors
Limitations of the research and potential risks
Overlooked, Undiagnosed, Misdiagnosed, and Diagnosed Late Gender Differences in Diagnostic Patterns
Common misdiagnoses and effects
Borderline Personality Disorder
Bipolar disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
”Just” depression or anxiety
Achieve accuracy in assessment and diagnostics
Assessment instruments: Disproportionately normed on men
Quantitative instruments: Accurate diagnosis in females
Grief, relief, and other common reactions to late diagnosis
From Surviving to Thriving: Strength-Based Interventions Masking and Unmasking
Pros and cons of ‘masking’
Masking and the sense of self
ACT-based strategies
Creation of ‘masks’ used in different scenarios
Map out masking behaviors and practice unmasking in safe spaces
CFT approaches:
Honor the function masking has played
A kind letter to self
Serenity box: Embrace strategies that may have been discouraged in the past
Build Self-Worth
Psychoeducation: The impact of neurodivergence on self-worth
ACT intervention: A self-valuing declaration
Trauma-informed interventions:
Create a timeline of critical life experiences
A letter to one’s younger self
”What has changed” art experiential
Special considerations for the use of EDMR in neurodivergent women
Create Comfort
Build understanding of neurodivergent-specific needs
Assertiveness strategies for self-advocacy
Identify and meet sensory needs
Executive functioning and helpful interventions
Strategies for managing rejection-sensitive dysphoria
Special Considerations for Neurodivergent Girls and Young Women
Development of self-worth and interests
Social connection, exclusion, and bullying
School-based interventions
Community interventions
Role of social connection groups
Target Audience
Social Workers
Counselors
Psychologists
Psychotherapists
Addiction Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
Behavioral Health Nurses
Psychiatrists
Other Mental Health Professionals
Reviews
Bundles Pricing
This product is part of a bundles which includes special pricing as displayed below.
Additional Participant CE Test
Additional Participant CE must be purchased for each additional viewer. These viewers will watch the video with the main registrant, but will have individual access to course handouts and certification. The standard price of this program includes certification for main viewer.
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