
Delivering a New Diagnosis of Autism
to Patients and Families
A Strengths-Based Approach for Empowerment
When: Sunday, November 16th at 11:30am EST
Where: LIVE on Zoom
Presented By: Dr. Stacy Greeter, MD, Brooke Garren, LCSW, Dr. Kimberly L. Rust, PhD, Dr. Jessica Hogan, PsyD, Dr. Heidi Wheeler, PsyD
Continuing Education: 1.25 NBCC CEs
Take a deep dive into delivering a diagnosis of autism in a neurodiversity-affirming away. This presentation includes both lived experience (highlighting the voices of autistic children and stories from the presenters) and research-based best practices. Our professional experience includes both mental health (Masters and Doctoral level) and medical (Psychiatry). We explore the harms of a deficit-based approach to assessment and the benefits of a neurodiversity-affirming approach using a variety of rich metaphors and concrete skills. Detailed tools for a strengths-based approach focus on techniques for collaborative exploration and Therapeutic Assessment (TA) as a healing modality. To provide assistance to clinicians following diagnosis, we describe in depth how to explain a new diagnosis in an affirming manner, how to respond to differing reactions (including disagreement over self-diagnosis or prior misdiagnosis), and suggested accommodations for adults and children. We also guide clinicians on how to identify affirming resources and provide a detailed document of our favorites. Finally, we acknowledge how our views of autism have changed over the years and invite other clinicians and medical professionals to be open to a growth mindset to better identify and serve autistic individuals.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to identify the harms of deficit-based approaches to evaluations and the benefits of neurodiversity-affirming evaluation approaches.
This presentation will provide concrete tools for engaging with evaluation clients in a collaborative, strengths-based manner.
Participants will be able to implement concrete approaches to deliver a diagnosis of autism in an affirming manner and will be prepared to address common challenges, such as disagreement over self-diagnosis or a prior misdiagnosis.
Attendees will walk away with an understanding of both lived experiences of autistic children and adults and a research-based understanding for how to better identify and serve autistic individuals.
Yes! We record live & email replay access to the recordings a few days after the course.
HOWEVER. LIVE attendance is required to qualify for the Continuing Education Certificate of Completion.
Attend the presentation live & try to not be more than 10 minutes late! Complete the survey which will be distributed in the last 20 minutes of the presentation. You will get your CE Certificate automatically after you complete the survey.

Dr. Stacy Greeter, MD
On the Web: https://www.youtube.com/@stacygreetermd
Dr. Stacy Greeter, MD is double board certified in both child/adolescent and adult psychiatry and owns a group psychiatric practice in Sarasota, FL. She speaks from both her lived experience as an autistic and ADHD individual and as a clinician. Dr. Greeter graduated Summa Cum Lade from Duke University and went on to University of North Carolina School of Medicine on a full scholarship. Dr. Greeter completed her residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and continued there to complete her subspecialty fellowship in child/adolescent psychiatry.
However, that is only where her learning began, as Dr. Greeter is an avid self-directed learner with an insatiable curiosity and infectious enthusiasm for her work. She believes in cross-pollination of knowledge between disciplines and runs a multi-disciplinary mental health professionals book club. Dr. Greeter teaches at Lake Erie College of Medicine and Florida State University and is on the board of directors for Autism Career Pathways. Dr. Greeter uses metaphors from fantasy universes such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings to make psychiatric concepts accessible and engaging through her educational Psychiatry Bootcamp series.

Brooke Garren, LCSW
On the Web: www.uniquelyyoubehavioralhealth.com
Social Media: @UniquelyYouBehavioralHealth
Venmo: @Brooke-Garren
Brooke Garren (she, her, hers) is an advocate and practitioner specializing in neurodiversity, with personal insights as an AuDHD and dyslexic individual. With a deep commitment to supporting individuals, couples, and families navigating neurological differences, Brooke challenges the deficit-based approach to care, emphasizing the importance of neurodivergent-affirming practices. Recognizing the limitations of traditional therapeutic models, Brooke founded Uniquely You Behavioral Health, a multidisciplinary clinic focused on developmental approaches to neurodiversity care.
Brooke earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and her Master of Clinical Mental Health Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. Her work is driven by a passion for understanding the unique complexities of each individual and advocating for inclusive, personalized care.

Dr. Kim Rust, PhD
On the Web: www.RustPhD.com
Venmo: @Kim-Rust-Counseling
Kim Rust earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fielding Graduate University in 2021. Dr. Rust is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Florida since 2010. She graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a graduate degree in Social Work and an undergraduate degree in English Literature. She has had a private practice since 2010 in historical downtown DeLand in Florida. She provides both counseling and assessment services for all ages. Dr. Rust approaches both counseling and assessment as healing processes, helping to answer deep-seated questions that individuals have about themselves or their child. She has a passion for providing neurodiversity-affirming services and is always striving to learn and improve in her chosen career. She was late-diagnosed as autistic, which may at least partially explain the abundant neurodiversity among her friends and family.
When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, her two amazing children, and her kitten, Freyja. She loves reading supernatural books on her porch, since the problems in those stories are nothing like the real world.

Dr. Jess Hogan, PsyD
Social Media: @neuronandrosepsych and @thedivergentclinician
Venmo: @JessicaHogan
Dr. Jess Hogan is an auDHD licensed clinical psychologist in Minnesota and California, where she has a group practice and oversees a neuroaffirming assessment training program for doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows. With over a decade of experience conducting autism and ADHD assessments, she is now offering individual and group consultation services. Additionally, Dr. Hogan teaches assessment in a clinical PsyD program and serves as the principal investigator on a research project examining the experiences of autistic therapists. Her special interests include neuroaffirming care, true crime, reading, and circus arts.

Dr. Heidi Wheeler, PsyD
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-wheeler-psyd/
Heidi Wheeler, PsyD, is a neuropsychologist and clinical training supervisor at Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI), with an expertise in assessing neurodivergent youth and young adults, including those with learning, attention, and social communication differences. With a BA in psychology from UC Berkeley, and a master’s and doctorate in clinical psychology from Azusa Pacific University, Dr. Wheeler has been acknowledged for her interdisciplinary approach and international work, notably during her predoctoral internship at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). Her clinical training also includes rotations in child trauma and psychological assessment at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and a postdoctoral fellowship focused on psychoeducational assessment at Morrissey-Compton Educational Center. She also worked as a neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute. As the former head of assessment at Smart Kids with Individual Learning Differences (SKILD) in Lebanon, Dr. Wheeler led psychological assessment and therapy training, promoted inclusive education, and authored resources on parenting and trauma-informed educational interventions. She has consulted on child protection and war and refugee trauma in the Middle East, aiding in mental health program development for trafficking survivors and providing support seminars for educators and community workers with war-impacted children. Dr. Wheeler is committed to delivering culturally sensitive, trauma-informed evaluations, collaborating with families and support networks to create strength-based educational and intervention plans.
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Autistic Clinical Insights is a scrappy group of autistic clinicians and allies with a desire to advance knowledge and clinical support for autistic people.
This virtual conference is hosted by NeuroAbundant, LLC an NBCC ACEP #7589.
© Copyrights by NeuroAbundant. All Rights Reserved.
Autistic Clinical Insights is a scrappy group of autistic clinicians and allies with a desire to advance knowledge and clinical support for autistic people.
This virtual conference is hosted by NeuroAbundant, LLC an NBCC ACEP #7589.
© Copyrights by NeuroAbundant. All Rights Reserved.