Day 2 of Strengths-Based Practices in Action: Supporting Your Autistic Clients to Learn, Play & Thrive
This is the second day of our two-day conference option. Day Two builds on the Day One content, but goes deeper into the process of strengths-based therapy and how to create and use meaningful visual supports in learning activities, daily routines, schedules, and community outings. Day Two is typically seven contact hours, but can be shortened as needed.
What You'll Learn
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 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.
Strengths-Based Visual Supports
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.
To Do Lists
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 routine
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 participatory case studies from early intervention through adolescence.
This interactive training will
transform your treatment planning process
You'll learn how to confidently create strengths-based treatment plans using strategies that are already in your tool bag. It's all about understanding authentic well-being for your Autistic clients and shaping your interventions to reflect respect for their strengths and how they think and learn.
You'll develop strengths-based support plans you can apply in your practice right away.
Investment
Access
Disability accommodations available.
Continuing Education
This course will be registered for .6 AOTA CEUs (6 contact hours), .6 ASHA CEUs, and 6 NBCC hours.
This course is
for you if...
- You want a clear, practical process for moving from informal assessment to meaningful intervention.
- You’re tired of relying on constant verbal prompts, redirection, or adult support to help your clients get through everyday routines.
- You want to create visual supports that your clients actually understand and use - not just pretty schedules that end up in a drawer.
- You want to help your clients become more flexible without using compliance-based strategies or forcing them to “just deal with” unexpected changes
- You want practical tools you can use immediately with clients across early intervention, school, clinic, and community settings.
- You want to leave the training knowing not just what to do, but how to individualize it for the child in front of you.
Meg brought incredible warmth and connection to her presentation. Her course on building on the strengths of the autistic client provided immediate, real-world value that I can start implementing right away. She makes comlex, important topics totally engaging and actionable. Thank you, WYOTA for bringing Wyoming such an amazing conference!
Meg is a great presenter! It was nice to attend a conference where I learned actual strategies I could take back to work with me.
This is a career and practice changing course.
I can’t really put into words how pivotal this course was for me. I had always wanted to implement better neurodiverse affirming care but I never felt like I had the foundation or tools to actually do that. I often felt like what I was doing for my clients wasn’t actually helping. Taking this course has given me a process for how to provide strengths based strategies and care. Meg has given me more confidence and more excitement to continue my work as an OT! I’m so thankful and I learned so much!
This is the most current and applicable training that I’ve found as a SLP in the last 20 years.
I am incredibly thankful for discovering this course. It has equipped me with practical, evidence-based methods to truly understand and support autistic clients. I now feel more confident in conducting informal assessments and implementing neurodiversity-affirming interventions for my clients and their families. A heartfelt thank you to Meg and the entire LPT team! You have not only transformed my practice but also my life and the lives of my clients. More power to you all!
About Your Instructor
Meg Ferrell, MS, OTR/L
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 Born to Be Free Podcast (formerly Two Sides of the Spectrum).
Meg teaches and trains OTs, SLPs, and mental health providers worldwide.
FINANCIAL: Meg is the owner of Learn Play Thrive and receives a salary.
NON-FINANCIAL: Meg has friends and colleagues who are Autistic.
Course Objectives
- Analyze a child’s learning needs using a process of informal assessment 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
- 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
- Generate an individualized visual to-do list for table-top learning and for self-care routines
- Synthesize and apply your knowledge of strengths-based approaches to create effective support plans for Autistic clients going out into the community
FAQ
What types of professionals is this course appropriate for?
This course is developed for occupational therapists, speech therapists, and other professionals who support Autistic kids in any setting. This is not a course designed for parents. This course is targeted at the intermediate level.
What ages does this course apply to?
This course is relevant for kids from early intervention through young adulthood.
What is the teaching methodology?
This training includes videos, audio clips, lecture, slides, and a participatory process.
Can I use this course for continuing education credit?
Day 2 is not currently registered for CE credit with any board, but could be with at least 6 weeks' notice before the start date of your training.
How do learners get a certificate of completion?
If Learn Play Thrive is providing certificates, in-person learners will need to sign in within the first 10 minutes of the training and sign out within the last 10 minutes. Virtual participants will need to self-attest that they attended the training in its entirety.
How do I request disability 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.
Continuing Education Disclaimers
AOTA: The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.
ASHA: This course will be available for ASHA CEUs from November 14, 2026 to November 14, 2031. ASHA CE Provider approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products or clinical procedures.
NBCC: Learn Play Thrive, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7586. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Learn Play Thrive, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.