Date and Time: July 16; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Location: Online via Zoom
**Please note this session is hosted by Boston College School of Social Work. Any questions regarding the session should be directed to continuinged@bc.edu.
This workshop equips social workers with essential strategies for trauma-informed care and suicide prevention support for autistic individuals. High rates of trauma stem from communication barriers, social isolation, sensory overwhelm, and medical or educational trauma. These factors contribute to distress, self-injury, and increased suicide risk.
Participants will explore how trauma manifests in autistic individuals, including overlooked presentations. The workshop covers recognizing distress, fostering emotional regulation, and creating affirming interventions that prioritize autonomy. Using a neurodiversity-affirming framework, topics include adaptations to TF-CBT, sensory-inclusive interventions, and motivational interviewing. Guidance will also be provided on recognizing suicide risk, responding to crises with trauma-sensitive approaches, and building long-term support plans that emphasize resilience and well-being.
In this session, participants will:
– Identify key sources of trauma in autistic individuals, including medical and educational trauma, sensory overwhelm, social isolation, and communication barriers, as well as their connections to mental health and suicide risk.
– Demonstrate trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming strategies, including adaptations of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), sensory-inclusive interventions, and motivational interviewing, to support autistic individuals in processing trauma and reducing distress.
– Assess case studies and apply trauma-sensitive approaches to crisis intervention and suicide prevention that prioritize emotional safety, autonomy, and dignity.
Presented by: Sara Rodrigues, DSW, LICSW
Cost:
$75
