Presenters: David Celiberti, Ph.D., BCBA, & Ruth Donlin, M.S.
Date: April 30, 2010
Time: 10am to 2:00pm [10am-12Noon; 12:30-2:00pm]
Location: Levittown Community Hall
201 Levittown Parkway
Hicksville, NY (between Stewart Ave. and Old Country Rd.)
See Elija Foundation conference page for full information, cost, registration and RSVP.
10:00am - 12:00Noon : What about me? Understanding and addressing the needs of siblings of children with autism
Presenter: David Celiberti, Ph.D., BCBA
Description: The bond we share with our siblings is one of the longest, most important relationships of our lives. Unfortunately, many parents may struggle with concerns and questions related to their typically developing children.
This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of some common sibling challenges and address important topics such as the possible impact of autism on siblings, parent-sibling communication, siblings' understanding of autism and related disabilities, siblings' relationships with their friends, self esteem, and balanced parenting.
Objectives
- Learner will identify several possible positive and negative effects of autism on the sibling.
- Learner will describe strategies for communicating with the sibling about autism
- Learner will describe strategies for helping the sibling manage questions from peers
Presenter bio: David Celiberti received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Rutgers University in 1993 and obtained his certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2000. He is President of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment and President and founder of the Parent Professional Partnership SIG of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). He is in private practice, providing consultation to schools and agencies in the U.S. and Canada, and has authored several articles in professional journals and presents frequently at regional, national, and international conferences. He has taught at both undergraduate and graduate levels and has conducted research in the areas of applied behavior analysis, family intervention, and autism.
12:30pm-2:00 pm: How to beat the statistics: Understanding and addressing how autism affects the family unit
Presenter: Ruth Donlin, M.S.
Description: Families can become consumed with improving the life of their child(ren) with autism. However, in becoming singular in their focus to make sure they have done everything they can to help their child, they may overlook how to create a balanced family environment of love, peace, and stability which serves as the foundation by making the family relationships a priority and focus. There are purported statistics indicating that the divorce rate of families of children with autism is in the 80% range. Personal difficulties reported by parents of autistic children include increased stress; poor physical health; depression; excessive time demands; parental burnout; effect on family life, and future psychosocial problems. Parents also report decreased marital satisfaction and increased marital turmoil as a result of the daily tensions associated with raising an autistic child. This is an important observation considering that marital satisfaction seems to be a strong predictor of a parent’s ability to cope with his/her child's disability (Friedrich, 1979).
This workshop will focus on employing strategies to build and strengthen the family unit.
Objectives:
Presenter bio: Ruth Donlin is a consultant whose private practice is based in New York. She provides consultation to schools, agencies, and home programs that serve children and adults on the autism spectrum. She has completed her course requirements for a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute and is currently completing her dissertation. She presents on a variety of topics such as challenging behaviors, classroom management, using visual supports, team dynamics, and social skill development at conferences regionally, nationally, and internationally.
- Learner will recognize common family stressors when raising a child with autism.
- Learner will identify strategies for improving marital communication toward a common goal.
- Learner will identify strategies to rectify these stressors and improve the family unit.
Ms. Donlin is President of the Autism Special Interest Group (SIG) for the Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).
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DISCLAIMER: Personal opinion and blog, for information only and
not intended to be professional advice or endorsement.
not intended to be professional advice or endorsement.
