Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Bundle
Put Your Neurodiversity-Affirming Values into Action
Back by popular demand, we are now offering on-demand access to some of the highlights from our 2024 Neurodiversity Summit. You will have access to the courses on-demand for 12 months to complete on your own time. You'll receive credit for each course you complete. Want neurodiversity basics too? Check out this bundle instead!
Learn strategies to align your work with your deepest neurodiversity-affirming, person-centered values.
Each 1.5 hour talk is registered for CE credit with ASHA, AOTA, NASP, NBCC, and ASWB’s ACE program. Our neurodiverse panel will help you apply your learning to your practice to truly align your work with your deepest person-affirming values.
Get one year access on demand when you register. Registration closes 12/16/2025.
Investment
The cost is $229 and includes four 1.5 hour courses (6 credit hours of recorded content).
Access
You’ll have access to all four talks for one year from your date of purchase.
Continuing Education
Each talk is registered for .15 AOTA CEUs (1.5 contact hours), .15 ASHA CEUs, 1.5 NASP CEUs, and 1.5 NBCC hours
FAQs
Information about completion requirements, accommodations, and more can be found in the FAQs.
The Learn Play Thrive DEI Bundle
Speakers & Presentations
Diversity, equity and inclusion is an on-going practice. And we can’t be truly neurodiversity-affirming providers without learning about all of our clients’ important identities, and how they impact the client’s experiences both inside and outside of our sessions. To support providers to engage deeply in the DEI process, we’ve put together some of the most compelling, transformative speakers we could find. Each of these four talks will deeply impact how you support your Autistic clients.
Liberatory Practices in Action: How Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Affirm Our Clients’ Personhood
AC Goldberg, PhD CCC/SLP
Joshuaa Allison-Burbank, PhD, CCC-SLP
Modal Title
AC Goldberg, PhD CCC/SLP
Joshuaa Allison-Burbank, PhD, CCC-SLP
Liberatory Practices in Action: How Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Affirm Our Clients’ Personhood
We often hear about diversity, equity and inclusion, but what does that look like in practice, and why does it matter so much? In this talk, SLPs AC Goldeberg and Joshuaa Allison-Burbank answer these questions in a way that will leave you excited to honor your clients’ identities even more deeply than before.
Objective One
Evaluate current practices through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens to determine changes to be made in order to affirm and honor everyone’s personhood.
Objective Two
Apply a liberatory lens to assessment and treatment that enables authenticity in communication and participation in daily routines.
Objective Three
Create a plan to update therapeutic spaces to honor self-determination and cultural/community values of all people.
AC Goldberg, PhD CCC/SLP
AC Goldberg (he/him) PhD CCC-SLP is a physically disabled intersex/transgender DEI consultant and SLP whose mission is to cultivate affirming spaces for ALL people. AC’s work centers around empathy, humanity and intersectional cultural responsiveness. He delivers high impact keynote speeches, facilitates transformative workshops and provides consulting around strategic initiatives and policy. Known for his thoughtful and relatable presentations emphasizing humanity, learning with AC allows everyone to develop a common understanding of crucial topics related to DEI. His continuing education nonprofit, The CREDIT Institute, is dedicated to advancing equity in educational and healthcare settings. AC is the 2022 recipient of the American Speech Language Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Outstanding Service Award.
FINANCIAL: AC is the founder of Transplaining LLC and The CREDIT Institute Inc and receives compensation for his work. He is a paid community partner with CHAT Life Changing Speech Therapy. He is a contractor with Prismatic Speech Services and receives compensation for his work. He is a part time faculty at Northeastern University and receives a salary. He receives commission from Learn Play Thrive for sales of the Neurodiversity Summit.
NON-FINANCIAL: AC is a founding member of the Trans Voice Initiative. He is a 2023 ASHA Convention Planning Committee Diversity Co-Chair. AC serves on the community advisory board overseeing research out of Boston University about the effects of exogenous testosterone therapy on communication in AFAB speakers. He’s also on the editorial board of the Journal of Communication Disorders.
NON-FINANCIAL: AC is a founding member of the Trans Voice Initiative. He is a 2023 ASHA Convention Planning Committee Diversity Co-Chair. AC serves on the community advisory board overseeing research out of Boston University about the effects of exogenous testosterone therapy on communication in AFAB speakers. He’s also on the editorial board of the Journal of Communication Disorders.
Joshuaa Allison-Burbank, PhD, CCC-SLP
Joshuaa D. Allison-Burbank, PhD, CCC-SLP is Diné and Acoma Pueblo (he/him). His clans are T’ógi, Parrot Clan (Acoma), Tó’áhani, and Yellow Corn (Acoma). Joshuaa is a licensed speech-language pathologist and assistant scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He previously worked at Northern Navajo Medical Center in Tsé Bitaí, Navajo Nation. He continues to provide developmental services to Diné families enrolled in the Navajo Nation Early Intervention Program. His research interests include community assessment, parent coaching, assessing the effects of stress on neurodevelopment, and the prevention of developmental delay in American Indian children. He also conducts professional coaching and trainings on anti-racist practices and decolonization and how to incorporate into curriculum development, Indigenous caregiver coaching, and community health interventions.
FINANCIAL: Joshuaa is a full-time paid faculty member at Johns Hopkins University and receives a salary. He receives commission from Learn Play Thrive for sales of the Neurodiversity Summit.
NON-FINANCIAL: Joshuaa is Diné and Acoma Pueblo.
NON-FINANCIAL: Joshuaa is Diné and Acoma Pueblo.
AAC for All: Strategizing through Barriers to Accessing AAC and Literacy in Systemically Marginalized Communities
Karina Saechao, M.A., CCC-SLP
Modal Title
AAC for All: Strategizing through Barriers to Accessing AAC and Literacy in Systemically Marginalized Communities
We know how important AAC access is for many of Autistic clients, but what are their access barriers, and what is our role in dismantling them? In this talk, SLP Karina Saechao ties together AAC and literacy with systemic racism in our practices, in our AAC devices, and in our worlds. Then, she walks us through the steps we can take in our work to increase communication access for marginalized communities.
Objective One
Examine and evaluate at least three persistent barriers that members of systemically marginalized communities face in the provision of AAC services.
Objective Two
Compare the discrepancies between best practices for AAC service delivery to current trends that prevent the provision of equitable AAC services to members of systemically marginalized communities.
Objective Three
Formulate at least three solutions for providing appropriate AAC and literacy assessments, services, and tools to increase access to communication and meaningful occupations for members of systemically marginalized communities.
Karina Saechao, M.A., CCC-SLP
Karina Saechao, M.A., CCC-SLP (she/her) is an SLP, researcher, scholar, and activist who strives to increase equity, access, and outcomes as related to research, clinical practice, and course curriculum. Karina holds a certificate as an assistive technology specialist from CSU, Northridge, and is a Ph.D. student. Karina’s research interests are in the areas of African American English, child language acquisition, language impairments, and augmentative alternative communication. Karina is the Founder & CEO of Golden Oak Speech Therapy. Karina frequently presents on topics in the areas of African American English; AAC; AT; creating inclusive environments; power, privilege, and race; and cultural humility.
FINANCIAL: Karina is the founder and CEO of Golden Oak Speech Therapy, a professional Speech Pathology corporation, and receives compensation for her work. Karina is also the founder of Yay Language, LLC and receives compensation for her work. She receives commission from Learn Play Thrive for sales of her courses AAC for All: Strategizing through Barriers to Accessing AAC. Karina was a contributor for the Authentic AAC course and received payment from Learn Play Thrive for her contribution.
NON-FINANCIAL: Karina is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the National Black Association of Speech Language Hearing (NBASLH), and ASHA Special Interest Groups 01, 12, and 14.
NON-FINANCIAL: Karina is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the National Black Association of Speech Language Hearing (NBASLH), and ASHA Special Interest Groups 01, 12, and 14.
Autistic People are More Likely to be Gender Non-Conforming: What Does This Mean for Your Practice?
Ruchi Kapila, M.S., CCC-SLP
Modal Title
Autistic People are More Likely to be Gender Non-Conforming: What Does This Mean for Your Practice?
When navigating our clients’ gender identities, we have a choice: we can be curious and affirming, or we can create more barriers to our clients’ authentic participation and development. Without the right training, it can be hard for therapists to know the best way to support their clients’ gender identity development. In this talk, neurodivergent SLP Ruchi Kapila teaches us how to truly create safe spaces for our trans and gender nonconforming clients in our work.
Objective One
Differentiate barriers trans and gender nonconforming (TGNC) neurodivergent individuals experience when accessing care.
Objective Two
Implement at least 3 examples of gender-affirming practices in the lens of neurodiversity-affirming care in their clinical setting.
Objective Three
Defend use of the gender-affirming care lens in provision of neurodiversity-affirming care in their respective clinical setting.
Ruchi Kapila, M.S., CCC-SLP
Ruchi Kapila (they/them; she/her), M.S., CCC-SLP is owner of Kapila Voice and Speech Services in Hayward, CA, where they practice as a speech-language pathologist and singing voice specialist focusing on holistic, gender-affirming speech and voice services across the lifespan. Previously, she worked primarily in acute care and acute rehabilitation hospital settings focusing on assessment and treatment for dysphagia, cognitive-communication disorders, aphasia, motor speech disorders, and beyond. Their passion lies in exploring counseling, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed considerations in gender-affirming voice care to center the client’s needs and perspectives in the therapeutic relationship.
FINANCIAL: Ruchi is the owner and sole proprietor of Kapila Voice and Speech Services in Hayward, CA and a paid content contributor for CREDIT Institute. Ruchi receives commission for the sale of the Learn Play Thrive Neurodiversity Summit.
NONFINANCIAL: They are a founding member and organizer of Trans Voice Initiative and a member who serves in a research role in the multicultural constituency group, The Disability Caucus. Ruchi is also a recent officer/member for L’GASP (LGBTQ caucus of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association). They are also a non-binary, neurodivergent individual.
NONFINANCIAL: They are a founding member and organizer of Trans Voice Initiative and a member who serves in a research role in the multicultural constituency group, The Disability Caucus. Ruchi is also a recent officer/member for L’GASP (LGBTQ caucus of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association). They are also a non-binary, neurodivergent individual.
Beyond Treatment and Service Provision: Disability Justice for Our Futures and Our Freedom
Ly Xīnzhèn Zhǎngsūn, J.D.
Modal Title
Beyond Treatment and Service Provision: Disability Justice for Our Futures and Our Freedom
Racism and ableism are inextricably bound together. They inevitably show up in our worldviews, shaping how we do our work and how we understand it. In this talk, Ly Xīnzhèn (Lydia X. Z. Brown) helps us understand the disability justice framework, vision, and praxis so that our work can begin to truly align with and reflect our values.
Objective One
Analyze the relationship between systemic discrimination and disability, identifying at least three ways this impacts disabled students.
Objective Two
Generate two strategies that strategically challenge ableism in your workplace or your client’s life.
Objective Three
Create a support plan using at least two Disability Justice-informed strategies.
Ly Xīnzhèn Zhǎngsūn, J.D.
Ly Xīnzhèn Zhǎngsūn, (they/them) is the Director of Public Policy at the National Disability Institute, which works to advance economic opportunity and freedom for people with disabilities. Lydia is also the founding Executive Director of the Autistic People of Color Fund, which advocates for disability, racial, and economic justice with a focus on building generative economies and just transition while providing mutual aid, peer support, and community-funded reparations. They bring nearly 15 years of experience as a committed advocate, community organizer, and policy expert at the nexus of disability rights and disability justice. Ly has spoken, facilitated, and consulted internationally and throughout the U.S. on a range of topics related to disability rights and disability justice, especially at the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality, and has published in numerous scholarly and community publications. Their work addresses the deep interconnections between ableism and other forms of systemic discrimination, marginalization, and oppression, and has often focused on interpersonal, state, and corporate violence, deprivation, and exploitation targeting disabled people at the margins of the margins.
Ly Xīnzhèn teaches at Georgetown University, holding faculty appointments in Disability Studies, Women’s & Gender Studies, and the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Fellowship Program at the Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. They also teach for American University’s Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies in the American Studies program. Ly currently serves as Co-President of the Disability Rights Bar Association, member of the National Executive Committee of the National Lawyers Guild, and founding board member of the Alliance for Self-Direction and Disability Rights. They are a Senior Advisor to the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network and Disability Rights Special Advisor for the American Bar Association’s Section on Civil Rights & Social Justice. Ly also serves as an advisor for the Transgender Law Center’s Disability Project, the Nonbinary & Intersex Recognition Project, and Disability Rights Maryland’s PAIMI (Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness) Program.
Previously, Ly served as Policy Counsel for the Privacy & Data Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology, where they focused on disability rights and algorithmic fairness and justice. Lydia’s work investigated algorithmic harm and injustice in public benefits determinations, hiring algorithms, and algorithmic surveillance that disproportionately impact disabled people, particularly multiply-marginalized disabled people. Lydia also previously served as Director of Policy, Advocacy, & External Affairs at the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, where they led AWN’s work in advancing gender justice, racial justice, and disability justice in the neurodiversity and disability rights movements. Lydia has also worked on disability rights and algorithmic fairness at Georgetown Law’s Institute for Tech Law and Policy, served as Justice Catalyst Fellow at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law where they advocated for disabled students’ civil rights in schools, served as Chairperson of the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, and taught as an adjunct professor of disability policy and social movements at Tufts University.
Among others, Ly has received honors from the Obama White House, the Society for Disability Studies, the American Association of People with Disabilities, the National Disability Mentoring Coalition, and the Disability Policy Consortium. In 2015, Pacific Standard named Lydia to its list of Top 30 Thinkers in the Social Sciences Under 30, and Mic named Ly to its inaugural list of 50 impactful leaders, cultural influencers, and breakthrough innovators for the next generation. In 2018, NBC named Lydia to its list of Asian Pacific American breakthrough leaders, and Amplifier featured them in the We The Future campaign honoring youth activism. In 2020, Gold House Foundation named Lydia to its A100 list of America’s most impactful Asians, and in 2021, they were recognized by Public Knowledge’s 20/20 Visionary Awards as a future leader who will drive tech policy in the public interest for the next 20 years, named to them.’s Now List of LGBTQ+ Visionaries working to better our community during a uniquely challenging era, and honored by NowThis Next as a change-maker of the world for Disability Rights. Ly appears in the HBO documentary Persona: The Dark Side of Personality Tests and the forthcoming independent documentaries I Identify As Me and My Disability Roadmap.
Ly Xīnzhèn holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic from Georgetown University, and a J.D. with joint concentrations in Criminal Law and Justice and in International Law and Human Rights from Northeastern University School of Law.
Financial: Ly Xīnzhèn receives a salary from Georgetown University, including the federally-funded University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. Ly Xīnzhèn is the Director of Public Policy at National Disability Institute and Executive Director for the Autistic People of Color Fund and receives compensation for their work. Ly Xīnzhèn is also the Senior Advisor to the Autistic Women and Non-binary Network and receives compensation. Ly Xīnzhèn is the owner/principal of an independent consulting firm, Mycelia Groundwork, LLC and receives compensation for their work. Ly Xīnzhèn receives commission from Learn Play Thrive for sales of their course Beyond Treatment and Service Provision: Disability Justice for Our Futures and Our Freedom.
Nonfinancial: Ly Xīnzhèn is an unpaid board treasurer of the Disability Rights Bar Association. Ly Xīnzhèn is an unpaid board member of the National Executive Committee of the National Lawyers Guild, Alliance for Self-Direction and Disability Rights (Alliance for Citizen-Directed Supports), and Disability Power Bloc (formerly SPM Disability Justice Fund). Ly Xīnzhèn is an unpaid Disability Rights Special Advisor for the American Bar Association. Ly Xīnzhèn is Autistic. Ly Xīnzhèn also has friends and colleagues who are Autistic and has worked as an unpaid caregiver or support person for other Autistic people.
Nonfinancial: Ly Xīnzhèn is an unpaid board treasurer of the Disability Rights Bar Association. Ly Xīnzhèn is an unpaid board member of the National Executive Committee of the National Lawyers Guild, Alliance for Self-Direction and Disability Rights (Alliance for Citizen-Directed Supports), and Disability Power Bloc (formerly SPM Disability Justice Fund). Ly Xīnzhèn is an unpaid Disability Rights Special Advisor for the American Bar Association. Ly Xīnzhèn is Autistic. Ly Xīnzhèn also has friends and colleagues who are Autistic and has worked as an unpaid caregiver or support person for other Autistic people.
This summit is
for you if...
- You're an OT, SLP, social worker, school psychologist, or other professional working with Autistic clients in any setting
- You want your clients to feel safe being their full, authentic selves in their sessions and in thier lives
- You value learning from the lived experiences of Autistic people and multiply-marginalized Autistic people
- You want to support your Autistic clients in a way that is culturally responsive and centers diversity, equity, and inclusion
What Learners Said About the 2024 Summit:
I own a private therapy practice focused on helping Autistic people work through trauma and become their best Autistic selves, whatever that means for them. Thus far, most trainings and professionals I’ve encountered have very rudimentary and often incorrect understandings of autism. Not only did the talks not talk about autism in a purely scientific/detached lens, but it was also inclusive, loving, affirming, inclusive, all around amazing.
The summit is a rich and vibrant place for intersectional learning that centers Autistic voices - so needed and still unique in many of our fields. As an Autistic psychologist, I found so many of the trainings validating, eye-opening, stimulating and challenging that push me to keep growing and learning for my clients, my children, and myself. The summit is such a special and wonderful coming together of names in the neurodivergent and Autistic affirming spaces. It gives one hope and connection in contrast to so many other professional neuronormative and ableist spaces. Thanks to all the presenters and to Meg!
I cannot begin to say enough how wonderful this summit was. I have highly recommended it to others and hope to have more people engage in this learning!
I Could not speak more highly of this summit! Such high-quality presenters and very engaging/relevant topics. Most importantly, I feel more knowledgeable and more equipped practically with how I can play my part in this neurodiversity affirming revolution.
The course design itself was user friendly and made it easy tap in and out of presentations, and the online discussions made it feel like a group learning journey (even from afar in Australia!). It's truly been an invaluable and empowering experience, and I will definitely be signing up again next year.
The Learn, Play, Thrive Summit was amazing. The presenters were outstanding; both knowledgeable about their topics and giving actual recommendations to implement immediately. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
This is the second LPT summit I've completed and both have been so valuable. It is wonderful to find a community that shares my values and wants to make real changes for Autistic and neurodivergent clients. One of the things I love most about these courses is that I am always able to begin implementing strategies learned in the course immediately.
Hearing from experts in the field who also have lived experience of being Autistic gave me new perspectives in a huge array of different aspects of my field, as well as a peek into many other related fields. Being able to approach parents of a newly-diagnosed child with confidence and reassurance that autism is just a difference rather than "doom and gloom" has been a game changer. Each new patient is a human with a beautiful and unique brain, who is going to go on an exciting learning journey filled with fun, engagement, safety, and joy. Isn't that what we all deserve?
The summit 2024 was so interesting, many and different topics presented, all of them very current and useful for rethinking and improving my OT practice. Thank you!
An amazing summit that can be accessed by many different brains!
The summit was excellent! It was so helpful to learn from neurodivergent professionals about a wide range of topics. The courses gave approachable and practical information. I found some of the talks so helpful I was sharing parts with my students since the presenters explains topics better than I can. I love that the videos were broke in 15 minute chunks and this was one of the most helpful summits I have ever been to! Already looking forward to the next one!
This was truly the most practice shifting and enriching continuing education experience I have had. It provided me with so much information of how to foster a healing space for my neurodivergent clients, and challenged my previous held beliefs in ways that inspired more learning. Even though the summit was virtual, I felt a sense of validation and support from both the instructors and fellow learners that I am on the right path clinically. This has given me confidence to continue to radically shift my practices to center my clients, even amidst my clinic which follows a medicalized model of mental health.
What an amazing series of topics with such knowledgeable people. My brain has been stretched with ideas and thoughts of how to best support my Autistic and neurodiverse clients.
The LPT summit is career changing! It helped shape my OT lens to be more neurodiversity affirming and shaping that OT lens changes everything about how I assess, treat, interact, coach parents, etc. Hearing from a variety of different disciplines helped give me a more holistic way to support my Autistic clients. 10/10.
Take a CE course that will truly transform your work.
Group Discounts
• 3 participants: 15% off
• 4+ participants: 20% off
• 7+ participants: 30% off
• 50+ participants: please inquire
For 2024 LPT Summit participants who want to access the talks again, the cost is $40. Email admin@learnplaythrive.com for a discount code!
Learn from a Neurodiverse Panel
Because Autistic people are the experts on autism, every speaker on our panel is listening to and learning from the Autistic community, and many are Autistic themselves. The talks in this summit are all reviewed by a neurodiverse panel of professionals to ensure they are relevant to the clinical practices of OTs, SLPs, social workers, and school psychologists, and aligned with LPT's values of neurodiversity and intersectionality.
Frequently Asked Questions
This course is developed for OTs, SLPs, social workers, school psychologists, counselors, and other professionals who support Autistic kids. This is not a course designed for parents.
This course is targeted at the intermediate level.
The topics in this bundle apply throughout the lifespan. The specific examples and strategies given in the talks are mostly focused on children from toddlerhood through adolescence.
The talks include lectures, slides, videos, case studies, and an opportunity for you to apply your knowledge.
Yes! This bundle will include 4 courses registered for .15 AOTA CEUS for each (total of 6 contact hours) and .15 ASHA CEUS for each course. Each course is registered for 1.5 NBCC hours. It is registered with NASP for CEUs for school psychologists.
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! You’ll have access to the lectures for one year on demand to watch whenever you’d like.
Yes! If 3 or more people from your company plan to enroll email me the names of everyone enrolling at admin@learnplaythrive.com and we will provide a coupon code. It’s 15% for 3 registrants, 20% off for 4 or more, and 30% off for 7 or more.
We offer scholarships to therapists from under-resourced countries. Please see our scholarships page for details.
You will have one year to access to the trainings from the date of your purchase.
Full refunds are provided within 30 days of purchase if no more than 2 courses 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 / 2 course 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 in this course have closed captions that can be turned on or off. If you have other learning needs, please email admin@learnplaythrive.com before registering. Accommodations will be made to support learners in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act.
You can send an email to admin@learnplaythrive.com
To see our full complaint policy, please visit this page
No. These are only available in the bundle. However, you can watch whichever you’d like once you purchase.
Learn to center you clients' authentic identities
so that your practice can become truly inclusive.
This course is available for ASHA CEUs starting January 10th, 2024 until January 9th, 2029. ASHA CE Provider approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products or clinical procedures. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Learn Play Thrive is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists to provide continuing education for psychologists. Learn Play Thrive maintains responsibility for the program and its content. NASP Approved Provider # 1172.
The recorded materials in this course were last updated in December 2023.