Autism and Social Skills Development in the Academic Environment



Timothy Wahlberg, PhD
Friday, October 17, 2014

The Brattleboro Retreat
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

 
Every individual on the autism spectrum is unique, which makes it imperative that those who work with this population learn to develop individual treatment plans and strategies. Dr. Wahlberg will begin this presentation by offering a detailed comparison of the neurological and biological development of those who are on the autism spectrum with those who are not. He will follow-up this comparison with the hows and whys of interventions that stimulate neurological growth through the practice of functional, daily and social-emotional skills. Numerous case studies and clinical examples will be discussed and explored.
 
Learning Objectives

As a result of attending this program, participants will be able to:

  1. Discuss diagnostic changes to the DSM-V and its impact on programming.
  2. Explain the difference between neuro-typical neurological social development and those on the Autism Spectrum.
  3. Describe how these differences manifest in Autistic social behaviors.
  4. Describe the role of anxiety in social development for those on the Autism Spectrum and how to treat it.
  5. Communicate more effectively with those on the Autism Spectrum.
  6. Implement strategies that teach social skills in the academic environment.

Timothy Wahlberg, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, certified school psychologist and currently the clinical director of the Prairie Clinic in Geneva, Illinois. Dr. Wahlberg has published extensively on the subject of autism and participates in ongoing research projects of related topics. Dr. Wahlberg recently wrote the book ,  Finding the Gray, about understanding and working with those on the autism spectrum.

"Wise and warm and incredibly skilled: those are words I immediately associate with Dr. Tim Wahlberg. Teaching with examples and informed by neuroscience, he will give you a day chock-full of ideas to to help ASD students become more socially competent.  Teachers, Counselors, Psychologists and any others who work with these young people will get great information they can use right away."
 
Margaret Wehrenberg - author of The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques