“My client says they’re autistic”
Embracing Self-Diagnosis and Empowering Self-Advocacy
When: Sunday, November 16th at 10am EST
Where: LIVE on Zoom
Presented By: April Kilduff, MA, LCPC, Erin Mendoza, MA, LMFT, Olivia Belknap, AMFT and Dr. Kim Rust, PhD
Continuing Education: 1.25 NBCC CEs
As knowledge increases and stigma decreases about mental health diagnoses, the prevalence of individuals engaging in self-diagnosis of autism has become much greater in recent years. At times, this has led to significant tension between providers and self-diagnosing individuals.
This panel consists of mental health providers (both Masters and Doctoral level) who are autistic and share lived experience. The purpose of this presentation is to better understand both sides of the table around the topic of self-diagnosis. We will elucidate the journey an individual takes from exploring self-diagnosis to possibly seeking formal diagnosis.
Challenges and barriers to formal diagnosis will be elaborated, as well as techniques to assist self-diagnosing individuals in how to advocate for themselves when seeking other support, including therapy. Providers will be instructed on how to be neuro-affirming and to better understand the validity of self-diagnosis, as well as the limitations of formal diagnostic tools and processes.
Providers will be given concrete advice on how to meet self-diagnosing clients where they are at in their journey and how to better navigate possible points of tension. A detailed discussion of masking will be provided to help clinicians better recognize autism, particularly in individuals with more subtle presentations.
Learning Objectives
1. Participants will be able to discuss the autism self-diagnosis journey of individuals.
2. Providers will be able to evaluate whether they are approaching clients in a neuro-affirming manner, including better understanding the impact of masking and more subtle presentations of autism.
3. All participants will be able to identify barriers to formal diagnosis and how to help self-diagnosing individuals to advocate for their support needs.
Is the course recorded?
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.
How do I qualify for NBCC CEs for this course?
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.
Meet the Presenters
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.
April Kilduff, MA, LCPC
On the Web: www.ChallengeAnxiety.com
Venmo: @April-Kilduff
April Kilduff, MA, LCPC, LPCC, LMHC, LPC (she/they) is a Therapist, Clinical Training Specialist & Consultant with her own private practice & also contracts with NOCD. Previously she worked in OCD/Anxiety IOP/PHPs in the Ascension & Rogers Behavioral Health Hospitals in Chicago. April also served as a Clinical Director at a group practice where she trained staff on treating OCD with Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP). As a therapist, she has enjoyed working with autistic adults struggling with OCD for the past 16 years & was identified as autistic herself in 2022. When not working, you can find her at home with her 2 cats, reading, taking photos & planning trips to see the world.
Erin Mendoza, MA, LMFT
On the Web: www.ErinMendozaTherapy.com
Venmo: @ErinMendoza
Erin Mendoza, MA, LMFT is a therapist in private practice in California. As a late diagnosed autistic person themselves, Erin works primarily with autistic clients, supporting them in understanding and learning to work with their neurotype. Erin especially enjoys working with recently diagnosed autistics (self or formal), people in autistic burnout, and people who are navigating being autistic and dealing with a chronic illness. Erin also offers neuro-affirming Autism and ADHD assessment. When not working, Erin enjoys singing, making friends with ravens, and spending time with their wife and many pets. More information about Erin can be found at: www.erinmendozatherapy.com
Olivia Belknap, AMFT
On the Web: www.ErinMendozaTherapy.com
Venmo: @ErinMendoza
Olivia Belknap (she/her) is an AuDHD associate marriage and family therapist working in private practice in the state of California. Olivia is passionate about working with neurodivergent clients, particularly those who were identified later in life, as well as the COVID conscious community, the LGBTQ+ community, and those living with chronic illness. Olivia provides individual, couple and family therapy as well as affirming adult autism assessments.
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Autistic Clinical Insights is a scrappy group of autistic clinicians with a desire to advance knowledge and clinical support for fellow autistics.
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