About this course

Learning Objectives

• Identify the difference between the deficit-based model versus the neurodiversity model in understanding and serving Autistic clients.
• Identify 2 specific ways to convey neuro-humility through their communication with clients.
• List two traits of many autistic people that may call for modifications to standard DBT.
• List two general things to tailor to make their own practice more accessible for Autistic clients.
• Identify four specific ways that they can modify the DBT skills training modules in their practice to increase efficacy for autistic clients.

Learning Levels

• Intermediate

Target Audience

Course Instructor(s)

• 

  Amara Brook, PhD, ABPP

  Director, Flow Neurodiversity Affirming Psychological Services

  Amara Brook, PhD, ABPP (they/them) is a licensed psychologist and Director at Flow Neurodiversity Affirming Psychological Services (flowps.com), a private practice serving clients in California and all PSYPACT states. They are also Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. Their passions are helping people understand themselves through psychological assessment and reach their goals using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) tailored to be optimally effective for their neurotype and other dimensions of diversity. They have particular interest in autism and ADHD. They frequently provide training and consultation to other clinicians around the world, helping them understand neurodivergent people and learn how to provide neurodiversity-affirming assessment and therapy. Recently, they were a guest on Charlie Swenson’s “To Hell and Back” DBT podcast discussing autism, neurodiversity, and ways of tailoring DBT to help Autistic clients reach their life-worth living goals. Dr. Brook received their bachelor's degree from Harvard, PhD from the University of Michigan, and advanced clinical training from CSPP. They have completed numerous advanced trainings in Psychological Assessment, DBT, and CBT and are Board Certified in Behavioral & Cognitive Psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). In the past, Dr. Brook served as Director of Postdoctoral Training, Supervisor, DBT Team Coordinator, and Embedded Psychologist in Emergency Medicine at Kaiser Santa Clara. They also provided clinical services at VA medical centers, and schools. They were also a psychology professor at Santa Clara University and taught a graduate-level DBT course there.

• 

  Rachel Leah Kraus, LCSW-C

  Licensed Clinical Social Worker

  Rachel Leah Kraus, LCSW-C (she/her) is licensed clinical social worker in private practice (www.krauspsychotherapy.com) serving clients virtually throughout the state of Maryland for therapy and throughout the United States for executive function coaching. She works from a DBT-informed approach and has a special interest in working with clients who have a borderline and/or OCD diagnosis on top of an Autistic, ADHD, or AuDHD neurotype utilizing a neurodiversity affirming approach. Rachel received her bachelor's degree in Psychology (Ecopsychology) from Mount Holyoke College and her Master's in Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She is a Social Work board approved supervisor through the State of Maryland. Rachel has participated in numerous advanced trainings in DBT, been providing DBT informed treatment since 2008 in various contexts including schools, residential treatment facilities, hospitals, and community mental health clinics before transitioning exclusively to private practice. She currently provides consultation to clinicians around the country and leads several consultation groups where she teaches clinicians skills on how to utilize the neurodiversity affirming approach when interacting with clients.

Disclosure

References

• Brook, A., Kraus, R.L., Chaney, C, & Swenson, C. (2024). Increasing Effectiveness of DBT for Autistic clients. DBT Bulletin, 8(1), 4-9.
• Keenan, E. G., Gurba, A. N., Mahaffey, B., Kappenberg, C. F., & Lerner, M. D. (2024). Leveling up dialectical behavior therapy for autistic individuals with emotion dysregulation: clinical and personal insights. Autism in Adulthood, 6(1), 1-8.
• Phillips, M. D., Parham, R., Hunt, K., & Camp, J. (2024). Dialectical behaviour therapy outcomes for adolescents with autism spectrum conditions compared to those without: findings from a seven-year service evaluation. Advances in Autism.
• Shatto, E.H., Troyer, K., & Copeland, K. (2024). Conceptualizing Autism-Affirming, Full-Scale DBT (DBT-AA). DBT Bulletin, 8(1), 16-22.
• Bemmouna, D., Coutelle, R., Weibel, S., & Weiner, L. (2022). Feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy for autistic adults without intellectual disability: a mixed methods study. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 52(10), 4337-4354.
• Ritschel, L. A., Guy, L., & Maddox, B. B. (2022). A pilot study of dialectical behaviour therapy skills training for autistic adults. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 50(2), 187-202.