The Learn Play Thrive
Approach to Autism

Without training in strengths-based supports for your Autistic clients, you can feel ineffective and discouraged in your work. In this 6 contact hour, self-paced course, you’ll learn concrete skills you need to be confident that your work is making the greatest possible impact. This course is registered for .6 AOTA CEUs (6 contact hours), .6 ASHA CEUs, and 6.0 NBCC hours. Get one year’s on demand access when you enroll. Enrollment closes 12/16/25.

REGISTRATION CLOSED

Our self-paced CE courses are now closed. You can register for our 2026 CE Summit or check out our in-person trainings. Contact admin@learnplaythrive.com for inquiries

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FAQs
Meet the Instructors
Course Objectives
Testimonials

NBCC Approved Provider

Together we will
transform your practice

MODULE 1: A Strengths-Based Approach to Supporting Autistic Kids

Never again write generic interventions that just don’t work. First, you’ll go deep into autism learning styles based on the latest research. This will help you move past outdated, deficits-based ideas about autism, and feel confident in your expertise. Then, with this foundation, you’ll learn a concrete process that will allow you to generate relevant, effective, and strengths-based interventions every time.

MODULE 2: Therapy Process

Get past feeling “stuck” and not knowing where to start with helping your clients meet their goals. Learn how to use informal assessment, individualized structure, visual instructions, and evidence-based  teaching strategies to guide your therapy process from assessment through goal mastery and generalization. We’ll also dive into how to how to build in supports based on your clients’ preferred social play level and how to support their learning using play materials, without asking them to play less autistically. 

MODULE 3: Making Schedules

Stop wasting your limited time making schedules that your clients don’t understand or use. You’ll learn how to create truly individualized schedules that will reduce transition battles and support your Autistic clients even when schedules unexpectedly change.

MODULE 4: Visual To-Do Lists & Self-Care Skills

Move beyond giving constant redirections and reminders that leave you feeling ineffective and make your clients frustrated and confused. You’ll master a method for creating visual to-do-lists that even your most concrete (or youngest) clients will understand. These visual to-do lists will keep your kids at the table for learning, increase independence in self-care skills, and provide new opportunities for  authentic engagement in daily routines.

MODULE 5: Community Integration

Get past your fears of moving your intervention to the community, where real life happens! Learn exactly how to bring it all together and help your clients succeed out in the community with a series of case studies from early intervention through adolescence. 

This course is
actionable and concrete.

You’ll learn how to confidently help your clients meet their goals without ever using rewards or other compliance-based strategies in your practice. It’s all about understanding how Autistic* people think and learn and shaping our interventions to reflect respect for their strengths and how they think and learn.

You’ll develop intervention plans you can apply in your practice right away.


*identity-first language used as it’s the preference of the Autistic community

Investment

$339 for 6 recorded hours packed full of actionable content. We also offer payment breakdown to 3 payments of $1113.

Access

This course is entirely self-paced. You’ll have access for 12 months to complete on your own time.

Continuing Education

This course is registered for .6 AOTA CEUs (6 contact hours), .6 ASHA CEUs, and 6.0 NBCC hours

FAQs

Information about completion requirements, accommodations, and more can be found in the FAQs.

View FAQs
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not sure? Watch our FREE 50 minute masterclass.

Last day to enroll
is December 16th

If you’ve ever wanted to take this course, this is your last chance. Enrollment ends forever on December 16th. 

REGISTRATION CLOSED

The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism is
for you if…

You currently work with neurodivergent clients on functional daily skills

You feel bored and ineffective using the same interventions over and over again

You feel guilty sending the kids back to class or back home knowing that you weren’t as effective as you could have been

  • You currently work with neurodivergent clients on functional daily skills
  • You feel bored and ineffective using the same interventions over and over again
  • You feel guilty sending the kids back to class or back home knowing that you weren’t as effective as you could have been

You want to feel confident in shaping your interventions based on Autistic strengths

You are ready to let go of compliance-based approaches like withholding interests, hand-over-hand, and using reinforcers

  • You want to feel confident in shaping your interventions based on autistic strengths
  • You are ready to let go of compliance-based approaches like withholding interests, hand-over-hand, and using reinforcers
REGISTRATION CLOSED

Meet your
Instructors

INSTRUCTOR

Meg Ferrell

M.S., OTR/L
Founder of Learn Play Thrive, Occupational Therapist (she/her)
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Meg Ferrell

Founder of Learn Play Thrive, Occupational Therapist (she/her)
Meg (she/her) is the founder of Learn Play Thrive and an occupational therapist who cares deeply about person-affirming therapy. At Learn Play Thrive, she hopes to springboard as many professionals as humanly possible into practices that are culturally responsive and neurodiversity-affirming.

Meg continues to learn from Autistic adults with different intersectional identities through hosting the Two Sides of the Spectrum podcast, and paying Autistic consultants to review Learn Play Thrive courses.

She is the primary instructor in The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism, where she fills up the toolboxes of OTs, SLPs, social workers, school psychologists, and other professionals with strengths-based strategies to use in their work.
Disclosures for Meg Ferrell
FINANCIAL: Meg is the owner of Learn Play Thrive and receives a salary.
NON-FINANCIAL: Meg has friends and colleagues who are Autistic.
INSTRUCTOR

Rachel Dorsey

M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist (she/her)
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Rachel Dorsey

Rachel Dorsey

Speech Language Pathologist (she/her)
Rachel Dorsey (she/her) is an Autistic speech language pathologist who excels at teaching non-Autistic therapists to better understand and support our neurodivergent clients. Rachel is on a mission to illuminate the many ways that seemingly “effective” strategies can actually wreak havoc on the lives of our Autistic clients.

Rachel holds a Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has worked in school, clinic, and community-based settings with children and adolescents of all ages.
Disclosures for Rachel Dorsey
FINANCIAL: Rachel is the owner of Rachel Dorsey: Autistic SLP, LLC and receives a salary. She is paid a consulting fee by Learn Play Thrive as the SLP consultant. Rachel was paid a speaking fee for her contribution to The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism. Rachel receives commission from her course, Goal Writing for Autistic Students and Let’s UNMASC. Rachel is a paid consultant for Responsive Feeding Pro, LLC. Rachel receives commission from Learn Play Thrive for sales of the Neurodiversity Summit.
NON-FINANCIAL: Rachel is Autistic and has friends and family members who are Autistic.
INSTRUCTOR

Sarah Selvaggi-Hernandez

MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist (she/her)
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Modal Title
Sarah Selvaggi-Hernandez, MOT, OTR/L

Sarah Selvaggi-Hernandez

Occupational Therapist (she/her)
Sarah Selvaggi-Hernandez brought the language of “positive Autistic self-identity” to Learn Play Thrive. We latched on and never looked back. Sarah is an Autistic occupational therapist who studies, practices, and teaches person-affirming approaches to sensory-processing differences. Sarah is the creator of Ethics & Neurodiversity: Let’s Talk Sex and a guest instructor in The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism.

Sarah’s previous professional experience includes: assistant professor of Pediatrics and Mental Health at Bay Path University, early intervention therapist in Springfield, MA, and occupational therapist at a psychiatric residential treatment facility in East Windsor, CT. She now works as a full-time Autistic advocate and sensory consultant. Sarah and her husband Jeremy also served as a therapeutic foster family for the State of Connecticut for nearly twenty years, and continue to provide therapeutic respite care for Autistic children. Sarah can be found happy-flapping with her family in Enfield, CT.
Disclosures for Sarah Selvaggi-Hernandez
FINANCIAL: Sarah was paid a speaking fee for her contribution to the LPT Approach to Autism. She receives commission for the sales of Ethics & Neurodiversity: Let’s Talk Sex. Sarah is the author of a book, Melt Like Ice Cream, for which she receives royalties. She is also owner of Living Sensory Wellness, Inc. and receives compensation for consultation services.
NON-FINANCIAL: Sarah is autistic and has friends and family members who are autistic. Sarah is an unpaid advisory board member for NeuroClastic, Inc. and Disability Rights Connecticut.

Please note: disclosure statements are contained in the Bio page for each speaker. Click on "READ BIO" above to review the disclosures.

This has been the best course I have ever taken! It is worth every penny and your time. Meg offers so many practical real-life examples that you can put into practice right away. I walked away with so many tools and strategies to better serve my kids. Best of all, I feel as though I have a greater understanding of autistic learning styles.
Angie Jones,
Angie Jones,OTR/L
This is the most current and applicable training that I’ve found as a SLP in the last 20 years.
Asra Ghori,
Asra Ghori, Speech Therapist
Learning how to support autistic kids using a strengths-based approach should be mandatory for anyone supporting autistic children. This course has truly deepened my understanding of neurodiversity-affirming care and given me fantastic new tools to use in my sessions. Meg, along with Rachel and Sarah, shared so much valuable knowledge about autistic strengths and differences. Their creative ideas for using strengths-based supports during sessions were super helpful! The only thing I wish this course could have given me is a more creative brain! I now feel so much more confident supporting autistic kids in my practice. Thank you, LPT!
Renee,
Renee, owner of Heyday Speech & Language Therapy
Wow! I honestly cannot say enough positive things about this training. Meg has put together a thoughtful, thorough, and highly informative training. I left feeling more confident in my understanding of how people with autism learn, think, and play, and with new concrete tools to use in my practice - a combination I feel is often lacking from trainings. I am excited to get back to work and implement all that I learned from this training as I am confident that it will help me feel better prepared and more capable when working with my clients!
Lili W. MS,
Lili W. MS, OTR/L
This is by far the best course and professional development I have done to enhance my OT practice! Meg has taken a huge amount of research, knowledge and experience and condensed it into a course that is accessible, practical and just makes sense. I highly recommend this course to any OT working with young people with autism. You will not only walk away with explicit strategies and interventions but also a much deeper and useful understanding of autism learning styles and how this informs our practice.
Christine B.,
Christine B.,OT
If you’re looking for effective, real-life strategies for working with children on the autism spectrum, you need to take this course. Meg uses her extensive experience to teach you not only what to do, but how to actually do it! Her presentation is engaging, easy to follow, and you’ll walk away with the confidence that you can put these strategies into action right away.
I am an OT with over 30 years of experience working in the school setting. I have thoroughly enjoyed this very comprehensive course! In this course, Meg provides therapists with a comprehensive approach to meaningful and thoughtful assessment and intervention techniques. The information is shared in slides as well as in lively lectures. The format which incorporates “ homework” really makes the information stick as you put it into practice. She provides thoughtful feedback and the Facebook group encourages further sharing amongst therapists. In all my years, I have never engaged in such a thoughtful and organized course where knowledge is gained and applied giving therapists a strong foundation in both theory and practice.
Patricia Fowler
Patricia Fowler
I've been an occupational therapist for about 3 years now and within the last year in particular, I've started working predominantly with autistic toddlers and children. I found that I was struggling to find ways to work on functional skills with my clients, and was looking for some guidance. This course was really wonderful for helping to provide neurodiversity affirming approaches, as well as providing simple strategies that can be taught to caregivers to trial in their natural environments. I highly recommend this course and will absolutely be utilizing the skills I learned in my practice!
Megan Boyd,
Megan Boyd, OTR/L
The Learn Play Thrive Approach has shaped my career and my approaches with my clients. I was lucky enough to experience one of the first courses and refreshing with the updated course gives me so much hope for the future of Autistic people. I educate all my coworker about this course and everyone who has taken it shouts their praises.
Sherridan B.
Sherridan B.
This is the most beneficial course I have taken in years. The information is presented clearly, and is research based. I found the assessment and intervention strategies to be practical and child/family oriented. I have also found that the intervention strategies really work! Meg is a wealth of knowledge, and a wonderful instructor. I am grateful to have had this opportunity.
This course is full of insights into providing a strengths based approach to autistic clients. It was fascinating to learn from Meg with a combination of presentations, handouts and video case studies. I've been an OT for 20 yrs and I'm so glad I found this course. The practical strategies offered are gold! This was such good value for money.
C.B,
C.B, OT
This is the most impactful CEU course I've taken to date. Typically a course will teach about autism in an outdated way; this course taught effective strategies and interventions to help take the perspective of autistic clients in a way that works. I have an entire new approach to working with autistics now and feel confident moving forward to educate others!
Dani A.,
Dani A., OTR/L
This course has been one of the most helpful and practical courses I have taken in....well forever. I have struggled ever since a student to accept the behavioral strategies taught to me and I could never carry them over with my clients. The forced compliance always felt wrong and unkind. This discomfort grew to an absolute rejection once I had my own children and eventually my own autistic children. I was never taught alternatives and therefor have spent years sort of "winging it" using strategies I learned from Floortime and Dr Ross Greene . This course has really pulled it all together for me and now I feel like I have a true framework to build from.
K.F.
K.F.
"As a new graduate occupational therapist working in a pediatric clinic setting, this class gave me very concrete, simple, methods that I could start implementing as soon as I watched them in the first module. I have taken a lot of CEUs that give me SO much information, but at the end I'm left confused on how to implement it. This course gave me all of the information AND all of the ways to implement it into my daily practice."
Emily Noldin
Emily Noldin
This course is a great place to start if you want to be part of the shift to neurodiversity affirming practice! The ideas and processes covered in this course really helped me make a plan for changing the way I teach and guide my autistic students as an OTA. It gives a clear plan, has excellent opportunities to work through the plan in stages, great feedback, and a real-life scenario to use to work through the entire process to demonstrate understanding. It has lots of in-depth examples and case studies from which to glean insight. One of the best, most "walk out and use it" courses I've taken.
Kristin
Kristin

I feel confident that it will change your practice.

– Meg Ferrell, Founder of Learn Play Thrive

Full Course Objectives

MODULE 1: A Strengths-Based Approach to Supporting Autistic Kids

1 hour 37 minutes

Learn how to confidently and clearly understand behaviors and plan interventions based on clients’ strengths.

Critique traditional models of behavior problem solving using the framework of the Double Empathy Problem and research on the mental health outcomes of masking

Develop six or more specific hypotheses about how a child's difficulty participating in a learning activity or routine may be related to Autistic learning styles

Generate six or more intervention strategies to teach new skills and adapt the learning environment based on a specific client’s strengths

  • Critique traditional models of behavior problem solving using the framework of the Double Empathy Problem and research on the mental health outcomes of masking​
  • Generate six or more intervention strategies to teach new skills and adapt the learning environment based on a specific client’s strengths
  • Generate six or more intervention strategies to teach new skills and adapt the learning environment based on a specific client’s strengths
MODULE 2: The Process of Autism-Specific Therapy

2 hours 36 minutes

Get un-stuck and become more effective in your therapy process.

Analyze a child’s learning needs using a process of informal assessment

Analyze client’s learning style and utilize this understanding to plan meaningful learning activities and visual instructions

Apply two or more teaching strategies that promote flexibility and generalizing for clients after task is mastered

  • Analyze a child’s learning needs using a process of informal assessment
  • Analyze client’s learning style and utilize this understanding to plan meaningful learning activities and visual instructions
  • Apply two or more teaching strategies that promote flexibility and generalizing for clients after task is mastered
MODULE 3: Making Schedules

40 minutes

Stop wasting time making schedules that just don’t work.

Apply the interpreting behaviors process and an understanding of Autistic learning styles to identify three reasons why transitions may be hard for your Autistic clients

Analyze a client’s learning style to determine what type of schedule (object, photograph, symbolic picture, picture & word, or written) will be most meaningful to them

Plan a schedule for a client, including instructions at the appropriate level (object, photograph, symbolic picture, picture & word, or written) , a method for the child to use the schedule (take and use, take and match, mark off, move to finished), and at least two concrete ways that the schedule can support a child in adapting to change

  • Apply the interpreting behaviors process and an understanding of Autistic learning styles to identify three reasons why transitions may be hard for your Autistic clients
  • Analyze a client’s learning style to determine what type of schedule (object, photograph, symbolic picture, picture & word, or written) will be most meaningful to them
  • Plan a schedule for a client, including instructions at the appropriate level (object, photograph, symbolic picture, picture & word, or written) , a method for the child to use the schedule (take and use, take and match, mark off, move to finished), and at least two concrete ways that the schedule can support a child in adapting to change
MODULE 4: Creating Visual To-Do Lists for Table Activities & Daily Living Skills

48 minutes

Get your kids’ engagement so that you can confidently teach.

Apply the interpreting behaviors process and an understanding of Autistic learning styles to identify three reasons why Autistic kids may have difficulty with adult-directed activities

Generate an individualized visual to-do list for table-top learning and for self-care routines

Create a plan for teaching using to-do lists that incorporates two or more strategies to promote flexibility and generalizing

  • Apply the interpreting behaviors process and an understanding of Autistic learning styles to identify three reasons why Autistic kids may have difficulty with adult-directed activities
  • Generate an individualized visual to-do list for table-top learning and for self-care routines
  • Create a plan for teaching using to-do lists that incorporates two or more strategies to promote flexibility and generalizing
MODULE 5: Community Integration

25 minutes

Ditch your fears of taking intervention out into the real world.

Synthesize and apply your knowledge of strengths-based approaches to create effective support plans for Autistic clients going out into the community

  • Synthesize and apply your knowledge of strengths-based approaches to create effective support plans for Autistic clients going out into the community
REGISTRATION CLOSED

Frequently Asked Questions

This course is developed for occupational therapists and speech therapists working with Autistic kids. It is also appropriate for any professionals working on real daily skills with kids with autism. This is not a course designed for parents.
This course is targeted at the intermediate level.

In each module I help you tailor the interventions to your client’s age and developmental level. This course is appropriate for professional working with kids from early intervention through adolescence.

Each module includes lectures, slides, videos, and case studies.

Yes! This course is registered for .6 AOTA CEUs (6 contact hours), .6 ASHA CEUs (6 contact hours), and 6.0 NBCC hours.

This course is not approved by any physical therapy associations. However you can check with your state board to see if it meets your license renewal requirements.

Yes! The course is self-paced and you have one year to complete it on your own time.

Yes! If 3 or more people from your company plan to enroll email me the names of everyone enrolling at admin@learnplaythrive.com and I’ll provide a coupon code. It’s 15% off for 3 registrants, 20% off for 4 or more, and 30% off for 7 or more.

Learners must complete all modules and pass all five quizzes with 75% accuracy. Multiple retakes are allowed. When the final survey is completed and the course reaches 100% completion the certificate will be issued.

Full refunds are provided within 30 days of purchase if no more than 3 modules have been completed. Email admin@learnplaythrive.com to request a refund. Since this is a self-paced course, there is no option to cancel once the 30 day / 3 module limit has been exceeded. If for any reason the course is canceled by the provider before your registration period has expired, you will receive a full refund.

All videos used in this presentation have closed captions. If you need additional accommodation, please email admin@learnplaythrive.com prior to your training date. Accommodations will be made to support all learners in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act. 

You can send an email to admin@learnplaythrive.com

Our courses are hosted on Thinkific. You will need one of the two latest versions of a supported browser to access the course. (Note: Internet Explorer is not supported).

Desktop:

  1. Chrome

  2. Firefox

  3. Safari

  4. Microsoft Edge

Mobile:

  1. iOS Safari

  2. Chrome

  3. Samsung Internet

In order to ensure that Thinkific runs well, you will need:

  1. The most recent version of one of the web browsers listed above

  2. Javascript enabled

  3. PDF plugin

  4. Graphic and audio output capability

  5. Broadband internet connection with a minimum speed of 5Mbps (recommended)

  6. TLS 1.2 supported by your web browser

This information was adapted from: https://support.thinkific.com/hc/en-us/articles/360030354954-System-Requirements-and-Supported-Browsers

Why enroll today?

Group Discounts

We are happy to offer a discount for your group! Email your list of participants to admin@learnplaythrive.com to receive a coupon code.

• 3 participants: 15% off
• 4+ participants: 20% off
• 7+ participants: 30% off
• 50+ participants: please inquire

Parent / Teacher Handouts

Understanding the content is one thing but supporting your parents and teachers can be a whole different job! I’ve got you there too. Now when you enroll you’ll get a digital catalog of handouts to explain the most important topics to your clients’ caregivers.

30 Day Money Back Guarantee

I think you’ll love it. But take 30 days to complete up to three modules. If it’s not what you’d hoped, you get your money back.

Continuing Education Credit

Receive 6 hours of continuing education credit through a self-paced online course that you can revisit again and again to feel totally confident in your ability to synthesize and apply the new strategies.

Sometimes when you work with neurodivergent kids, you feel like you’re trying the same ineffective strategies over and over. This takes a huge hit on your confidence.

But with The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism you will reclaim your enthusiasm and show up more equipped to help your autistic clients.

REGISTRATION CLOSED

This course will be available for ASHA CEUs from May 31st, 2023 through May 30th, 2028, at which point Learn Play Thrive will apply for re-registration.
The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.
ASHA CE Provider approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products or clinical procedures.
The recorded materials in this course were last updated on 4/19/2023.