Neuro-affirming approaches to improving mental health care
For Autism Acceptance month, join us to learn about neuro-affirming mental health services provided by Adult Neurodevelopmental Services and the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre.
We will talk about our Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) groups.
Clinicians and Autistic people, who co-designed these programs, will talk about the importance of a neuro-affirming approach, the co-design process, and the benefits they have noticed in the groups they helped design.
Our Presenters:
Domenica Fanelli (She/her) is an Occupational Therapist working at the Adult Neurodevelopmental Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She helps co-facilitate the CBT (Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy) group alongside Hannah for Autistic adults.
Braxton Hartman is a graduate student in neuroscience and psychology at York University and an Autistic co-facilitator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Autistic adults at CAMH.
Sue Hutton (she/her), MSW, RSW, is a social worker and mindfulness teacher with the Autism-informed mindfulness and caregiver/staff programs at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at CAMH.
Hannah Monroe (she/her), MSW, RSW, is a Patient Engagement Coordinator at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at CAMH. She also helps co-facilitate the CBT group for Autistic adults.
Alex Porthukaran, PhD, C. Psych, is a child, adolescent, and adult psychologist at CAMH in the Adult Neurodevelopmental Services (ANS) program. Alex is engaged in research as well, developing new interventions such as an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group for Autistic people that is co-developed and co-facilitated by people with lived experience.
Jan A. Wozniak (He/Him), MA, APPA, is a clinical researcher and program engagement co-facilitator at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at CAMH.
Access more information about the work at Azrieli and the related hcardd program here:
https://www.camh.ca/en/your-ca…velopmental-services
https://www.porticonetwork.ca/web/hcardd
Patient and Family Learning Space homepage: https://www.camh.ca/en/patients-and-families/programs-and-services/patient-and-family-learning-space