The Learn Play Thrive
Approach to Autism
In this in-person, 7.5 contact hour course, you’ll learn concrete skills you need to be confident that your work is making the greatest possible impact. This course will be registered for .75 AOTA CEUS (7.5 contact hours) and .75 ASHA CEUs.
Continuing Education
from Learn Play Thrive
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 This will help you move past outdated, deficits-based ideas about autism, and feel confident in your expertise.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. To help you translate your learning into practice, in this live training we will put the framework into practice with a case study.
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 support your clients 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.
Time Ordered Agenda
8:00 – 9:30 Module 1
9:30 – 9:45 Break
9:45 – 10:15 Module 1 Case Study
10:15 – 11:30 Module 2
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch On Your Own
12:30 – 2:15 Module 2
2:15 – 2:30 Break
2:30 – 3:15 Module 3
3:15 – 4:00 Module 4
4:00 – 4:15 Break
4:15 – 5:00 Module 5
5:00 – 5:15 Questions
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
Price TBD.
Access
A suitable location will be determined between the organizer of the live training and Learn Play Thrive. Disability accommodations will be provided upon request.
Continuing Education
This course will is registered for .75 AOTA CEUs (7.5 contact hours) & will be registered for .75 ASHA CEUs.
FAQs
Information about completion requirements, accommodations, and more can be found in the FAQs.
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
Meet your
Instructors
Meg Proctor
Meg Proctor
M.S., OTR/L
Meg has worked in early intervention, schools, and clinics. She is a former faculty member of the TEACCH® Autism program, and she is the host of the Two Sides of the Spectrum Podcast, where she interviews autistic adults and other professionals striving to change therapy practice.
She is the primary instructor in The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism, where she fills up the toolboxes of OTs and SLPs with strengths-based strategies to use in their work. Meg also teaches Module 1 of the LPT Approach to Autism as a stand-alone live course, A Strengths-Based Approach to Supporting Autistic Kids
FINANCIAL: Meg is the owner of Learn Play Thrive and receives a salary.
NON-FINANCIAL: Meg has friends and colleagues who are autistic.
Please note: disclosure statements are contained in the Bio page for each speaker. Click on "READ BIO" above to review the disclosures.
I feel confident that it will change your practice.
– Meg Proctor, Founder of Learn Play Thrive
Full Course Objectives
MODULE 1: A Strengths-Based Approach to Supporting Autistic Kids
2 hours
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
2.5 hours
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
45 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
45 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
45 minutes + 15 minute Q&A
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
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
The modules includes live lectures, slides, videos, participatory activities, and case studies.
Learners must sign in and out of the live training within 10 minutes of the start and end times. Learners must complete a feedback survey within one week of completing the training.
If the private training is canceled by the customer more than 14 days before the live program, a full refund will be issued minus a $100 fee or 3.25% of the amount paid, whichever amount is larger. If Instructor has booked non-refundable travel, this will also be deducted from any refund issued.
If the training is canceled fewer than 14 days before the live program, client will be offered the option to enroll learners in a comparable virtual training.
No refunds will be issued based on fluctuations in the number of learners attending the training.
If the program is canceled by the instructor, client will be given the option of a full refund or access to a recorded version of the course for all registered learners.
Disability accommodations will be the responsibility of the organization scheduling the training. If learners need additional accommodations, 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
The LPT Approach is more than just a course.
Sometimes when you work with neurodivergent kids, you feel like you’re trying the same outdated 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.
This course will be available for ASHA CEUs from October 21st, 2023 through October 20th, 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.
