Having a child with a developmental disability affects all aspects of family life, especially when the child has an invisible disability and family members struggle to make meaning and have realistic expectations. This workshop will explore the impact of a child’s disability on family well-being as well as the impact of family beliefs and practices on child learning and behavior.
Following a brief discussion of the core features of neurodivergent conditions, the presenter will highlight the family narrative as a critical feature of clinical work. Family storytelling can be healing and a tool to gain insight into parenting beliefs, practices and the parents’ emotional journey. The second part of the workshop will include different approaches and therapeutic interventions to promote child, parent and family resilience. This discussion includes the impact of parenting style, emotion coaching and co-regulation skills.
By the end of the workshop, the participants will appreciate the value of family-centered treatment, and a greater understanding of the structure, process and expected outcomes of family therapy with neurodivergent children. This course is appropriate for clinicians who work with children with autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, intellectual and other developmental disabilities.
Learning Objectives:
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To discuss the impact of neurodevelopmental conditions on family life and family relationships
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To discuss the family narrative as a clinical approach and an opportunity to appreciate the parents’ emotional journey as well as their parenting beliefs and practices.
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To describe parenting styles and co-regulation strategies that promote the child’s social-emotional skills
- To discuss therapeutic interventions to help parents become more reflective and regulated in their interactions with their child and to become more realistic and responsive to their child’s needs
Presenter:
Judy Grossman, DrPH, OTR is the Associate Director of the Center for the Developing Child and Family at the Ackerman Institute for the Family. She is also an adjunct faculty member at NYU with previous academic appointments at Downstate Medical Center, Yale School of Medicine and others. Grossman’s publications and professional presentations focus on family resilience, parenting, mental health consultation, and preschool special education policy and programs. She consults to community agencies serving marginalized families and maintains a private practice in couples and family therapy.
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The Family Lens: Raising Neurodivergent Children
November 8, 2024
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Judy Grossman, DrPH, OTR
5 CE Contact Hours
In-Person at Ackerman Institute for the Family