Brain Conf Brochure 2010 - Department Of Psychiatry
Transcription
Brain Conf Brochure 2010 - Department Of Psychiatry
PACT 4 Families Collaborative presents: The 9th Annual Community Conference on the Brain Empathy, Emotion, & Autism Return Service Requested 2200 23rd St NE Ste 2030 WILLMAR MN 56201 PACT 4 Families Collaborative Featuring Nancy Minshew, M.D. a nationallyacclaimed expert on Autism Tuesday, November 16, 2010 3:00 pm to 8:30 pm Willmar Senior High School 2701 30th Street NE, Willmar, MN 56201 Nov. 16, 2010—Brain Conference Registration Page 2 Conference Overview "Recognizing and respecting differences in others, and treating everyone like you want them to treat you, will help make our world a better place for everyone. Care... be your best. You don't have to be handicapped to be different. Everyone is different!" – Kim Peek, Inspiration for Rain Man. Recognizing and respecting differences in others...what an amazing beacon for our 9th Annual Community Conference on the Brain. This year we explore the world of Kim Peek, Temple Grandin, and so many others who have been diagnosed as having some form of autism. According to the National Institute of Health, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Although ASD varies significantly in character and severity, it occurs in all ethnic and socioeconomic groups and affects every age group. Experts estimate that three to six out of every 1,000 children will have ASD. Males are four times more likely to have ASD than females. Scientists aren’t certain about what causes ASD, but it’s likely that both genetics and environment play a role. Researchers have identified a number of genes associated with the disorder, and studies of people with ASD have found irregularities in several regions of the brain. Our keynote speaker, Dr. Nancy Minshew, brings information from her work in research to inform our learned audience, but she also brings interesting illustrations and stories to demonstrate how ASD impacts real people. Many of our breakout speakers will be discussing interventions related to working with those who have autism. In addition, these local professionals are also going to help us to better understand not just one diagnostic spectrum, but a wide range of emotions with emphasis on empathy . Join us for an amazing afternoon/ evening exploring a very timely topic of Emotion, Empathy and Autism. Form Page 7 Name________________________________________ Agency______________________________________ Address_____________________________________ City, State, ZIP________________________________ Phone_______________________________________ Email________________________________________ (Registration confirmation will be sent to those who include an email address on this form). Cost: $35.00… PACT 4 partners or parents who live or work in the counties of Kandiyohi, Meeker, Renville, Yellow Medicine (Registration fee is non-refundable) $50.00...Non PACT 4 Partners $15.00...High School and College Students Type of payment Enclosed:□ Cash or Check □ Purchase Order Mail registration and payment BY NOVEMBER 10** to: PACT 4 Families Collaborative Conference Planning Committee: Carmen Clementson Connie Spartz Debb Sheehan Ann Orren Sharon Tollefson Cathy Nelson-Messer Shawna Steffen Renee Brandt Rick Loseth Shelly Huseby Attn: Shawna 2200 23rd St NE, Ste 2030 Willmar, MN 56201 *** Registrations are due by November 10th. In the past, the conference has met registration capacity. Please make every effort to register early. THERE WILL BE NO REGISTRATION AT THE DOOR. Page 6 Breakout Presenters Conference Schedule Page 3 3:00 - 3:30 Registration, Exhibits, Refreshments Emotional Resilience of Caregivers Kathy Marshall Emerson has served as the Executive Director of the National Resilience Resource Center at the University of Minnesota since 1991. She is also a Faculty member and Course Developer at the University of Minnesota in the Center for Spirituality and Healing. Caregivers, educators and helping professionals are invited to this session to laugh, be renewed, and find well-being and hope within! Consider the new perspective and pick up take-home activities and ideas. Feel your stress melt away in the moment! 3:30 - 4:00 Panel Discussion with Breakout Session Faculty 4:15 - 5:05 Breakout Session 1 5:15 - 6:05 Breakout Session 2 6:15 - 6:50 Brain Power Buffet, Networking & Exhibits Getting Started with AAC (Augmentative & Assistive Communication) and Visual Supports 7:00 - 8:30 Lisa Gobernatz is a Speech/Language Clinician for New London-Spicer Schools, and Lynn Taunton is an Autism Resource Specialist/Special Education Teacher (DD/EBD) at New London-Spicer Schools. They will explore basic communication aids, as well as visual supports used to help students with autism make great strides in communication, independence, social skills, and academics. Keynote Speaker Acting for Autism Before moving to Willmar, Nikki Bettcher Erickson toured nationally as an actor and also worked as a theatre producer, director, resident artist and educator coast to coast. Erickson has presented at conferences in India, Wales, Texas and Minneapolis about her work as a Theatre for Autism Artist. She has worked as a director and theatre educator at The Barn Theatre and The Little Theatre and currently works at West Central Industries as a Skills Development Supervisor and Autism Coordinator. In this breakout session Theatre for Autism Artist Nikki will present on how acting and autism match up, and show easy activities that can be used in classrooms, homes, and workplaces for various sized groups. Keynote Address: “How Do the Brain & Mind Think & Feel in Autism?” Nancy Minshew is a Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh. She directs the Center of Excellence in Autism Research and is an internationally known expert in the cognitive, neurological, and genetic bases of autism. Minshew was trained as a behavioral child neurologist, and she received an M.D. from the Washington University School of Medicine. “How Do The Brain & Mind Think & Feel in Autism?” Dr. Minshew will discuss the evidence defining important differences in how individuals with autism see and experience the world. These factors define the success of intervention and provide a template for the development of new neurocognitive interventions designed to stimulate the growth of higher order circuitry and abilities. 1. The clinical signs and symptoms of autism are all the result of difficulty the brain and mind have in integrating or processing information; the most prominent symptoms reflect those areas of function with the highest integration requirements. 2. The difficulty processing information results from over-development of local brain connections and under development of distance connections among brain regions needed for higher order abilities; these deficits have been documented in infancy in ASD. 3. Differences in perception and thinking result in enhanced perception of details and reduced understanding of meaning. 4. There are analogous deficits in emotion processing and regulation; there is also phenotypic variation between those who are very emotionally reactive and anxious and those who are predominantly factual. Page 4 Breakout Presenters Frontiers of Autism: Systemizing Versus Empathizing, with Applications to Real World Situations Bill Sheehan, M.D. is a psychiatrist who heads the neurodevelopmental disorders program at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Services in Willmar. Among his primary clinical and research interests are autism, autistic spectrum disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome, and related conditions. Dr. Steve Thurber received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Texas at Austin and subsequently graduated from the postdoctoral training program in Pediatric Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Oklahoma Medical School. He also received advanced training in early child development at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He currently is a child clinical psychologist and behavior scientist at Woodland Centers. They will discuss how autistic-spectrum disorder (also known as Asperger’s) is characterized by a cognitive trait that has been described as “systemizing” (the drive to analyze, explore and construct a system, by figuring out how things work), and how this is a mutually exclusive trait from “empathizing.” Introduction of Truthought Corrective Thinking LSS Steve Toledo is the Transitions Counselor, Training Coordinator, and Truthought Practitioner with Prairie Lakes Youth Programs. Steve has an A.A. Degree and over 30 years Youth Work experience. He has 15 years as a Correctional Counselor and Transitional Counselor, with 10 years practicing Truthought. In addition, Steve has 15 years as a Chaplin for United Campus Ministry on the Ridgewater College Campus. The Truthought Corrective Thinking LSS curriculum explores the thought process that individuals use. Its aim is to teach individuals to recognize that their behaviors are a result of the choices they make. Certificates of Attendance with presentation clock hours will be available to all participants at the end of the evening. Handouts from each presentation will be available following the conference at www.pact4.org. Breakout Presenters Page 5 Research-based Interventions for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Dr. Maria Balbo has worked in the field of early intervention for over 30 years. She currently coordinates early childhood special education services for 13 school districts in west central MN & is the Regional Professional Development Facilitator for Regions 6 & 8 for Early Childhood Special Education. She serves on a statewide Centers of Excellence Professional Development team and on the Minnesota Autism Network. Her presentation will cover what those research-based interventions are, what level of implementation of research-based interventions exist across Minnesota, what learning methods have supported early intervention teachers in the past, and what methods are preferred for the future. Fasten Your Seat Belts! Brian Heuring is an adult self-advocate. He is a public speaker on autism and assertiveness. He has served on the ARC (Advocacy Resources Community) board and SAM (Self-Advocates of Minnesota) board. Having helped raise five sons to adulthood and recently experiencing the sudden death of her husband, Sharon Heuring continues to support Brian in his development and encouragement of fulfilling his dreams while balancing her own life purpose and daily responsibilities. Sharon is a Reiki Practitioner, likes to read, attends Yoga and Tai Chi classes, and enjoys sharing her perspective of being Brian's mom. Join Brian and his mother, Sharon, as they share their adventurous ride of receiving a late diagnosis of high functioning autism and navigating through the educational system with years of transitioning from school to work. Penny Cammack Penny Cammack, M.A., CCC-SLP has a background as a school speech/language clinician and coordinator in the Pipestone Service Center of the SW/WC Service Cooperative. She began a series of training experiences in the area of autism spectrum disorders twelve years ago, and became a regional autism specialist in 1999. Penny serves approximately thirty school districts in Regions 6 & 8. In this session, the speaker will discuss the early signs of autism spectrum disorders (ASD.) She will also provide resources as to where to turn if ASD is suspected in a child.