Free Lunch-n-Learn Webinar: Social and Communication Skills—A Model that Works

Health care providers and educators will benefit from attending this free lunch-and-learn to become acquainted with effective, neurodiversity-affirming services to benefit autistic, ADHD, and other neurodivergent youth and their families. Of course, parents are always welcome, too as we present a social skills model that really works!

THE PROBLEM:

  • Once a person receives an autism or other diagnosis of neurodivergence, providers may not know where to send families for specialized support.

  • Insurance mandates only guarantee coverage to address behavior with a focus on compliance. This can be problematic and ineffective given the latest research into neuroscience and trauma.

  • Wait lists for speech therapists and occupational therapists — if they are covered — can be prohibitively long.

  • The services found in schools are not nearly enough to address communication and social interaction concerns, and educators may not be aware of the latest research into autism and the sensory components of the neurotype.

  • Additionally, the time constraints and challenges educators face may prevent them from providing effective support.

THE OUTCOMES:

Serious and significant outcomes with regard to these lagging skills impact patients and students. Mental health struggles due to exclusion and ostracization, self-harm, and suicidality are top of the list.

Additionally, the abysmal unemployment rate for autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent people weighs heavily on our society. The DEI conversation has not developed in terms of neurodiversity accommodations and support to help both young and older adults be successful in the workplace.

IRL SOCIAL SKILLS: A PROACTIVE, COMMUNITY-BASED, PARENT-MEDIATED SOLUTION

IRL Social Skills addresses deficits in communication, relational, and social skills through a parent-mediated curriculum, The Program for the Enrichment and Enhancement of Relational Skills (PEERS®).

PEERS was developed in 2004 by UCLA’s Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, a licensed clinical psychologist and an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

PEERS has been scientifically reviewed as a proven effective intervention. At IRL our approach is trauma-informed and holistic, incorporating somatic and mindfulness practices for improved self-awareness and self-regulation.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

  • Mental Health Providers

  • Speech Language Pathologists

  • Occupational Therapists

  • Educators

  • School Administrators

  • Social Workers

  • Primary Care Physicians

  • Psychiatrists

  • Behaviorists

  • Neurodiversity Advocates

  • Parents

YOU'LL GAIN:

Participants will gain an increased understanding of the crucial role social skills play in our world. You'll also connect with referral partners with a track record of success in helping their clients improve their skills acquisition, self-esteem, and self-advocacy.

PRESENTER NOTES

This lunch-and-learn will run for 30 minutes, with 15 minutes for Q&A and discussion afterward. 


RESOURCESMara McLoughlinlunch-and-learn, webinar, MENTAL HEALTH