I recently came back from a trip to Thailand where I was providing information to staff at an orphanage/school on how to be trauma informed. I have done international volunteer work in the past and have learned what to do and what not to do. Volunteer trips where you are focused on just hanging out…
How the need for social belonging can cause teens to engage in unsafe behaviors. I have been leading some groups that teach social media safety skills to neurodivergent teens. (If you are interested in these groups go to the “Online Groups” page). At the beginning of groups individuals did not know what types of red…
I recently conducted a training about how to teach online safety skills to individuals with disabilities. Before I went there I looked into the pros and cons of online relationships. It is pretty easy to identify the risks (i.e. potential exploitation, bullying, etc). But as I did some research I thought it was interesting what…
My focus has always been on working with neurodivergent individuals. Many of whom, have not had comprehensive sex education or have had a very limited sex education. Because sex education can protect against abuse and increase someone’s ability to have healthy relationships, I think this is incredibly important. So, here is what I do… …
I recently completed my certification to be a Certified Sexuality Educator. I have had some people give me weird looks when I say this and so I thought it was worth a discussion. Firstly, when I talk about teaching Sex Ed I am not simply talking about anatomy. While that is a big part of…
Have you heard the term “emotional labor”? (This was a new one for me.) Emotional labor is the “mental and emotional work we do to maintain relationships with other people, whether that relationship is an intimate one, or simply coexisting with strangers in a public place” (Ada Hoffman). Emotional labor can include initiating interactions…
Neurodiversity is definitely the new buzz word. This could be a good thing because it shows more people are becoming educated/accepting of differences. But it could also be a bad thing as more and more people use the word without actually changing their behaviors. Being a neurodiverse affirming therapist means that I am getting out…
When you wanted to get married, what did you have to do? Did you take a test? Did someone observe your cooking or budgeting skills? Were you quizzed on your emotional IQ? I am guessing you said “no”. Did you know that this is not the case for individuals with disabilities? Marissa Debellis talks about…