A Strengths-Based Approach to Autism Interventions with Dr. Kristie Patten

07/01/20 • 45 min

Kristie Patten is the chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy at New York University whose cutting-edge work focuses on using strength-based approaches in autism. Join us in this episode as we delve into:

How most OTs wound up using a deficits-based model with autistic kids and why this is not serving our clients well

Why we should move away from withholding kids' interests from them. We'll also talk about how first-then schedules and even limiting screen time may fall into this category

How we can support autistic clients to build from their strengths to support their joy and participation in life, leisure, and work

What we should be doing instead of social skills groups

Why it's really easy to be a bad therapist and really hard to be a good one (plus some concrete steps to take to help get us there!)

View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

How most OTs wound up using a deficits-based model with autistic kids and why this is not serving our clients well

Why we should move away from withholding kids' interests from them. We'll also talk about how first-then schedules and even limiting screen time may fall into this category

How we can support autistic clients to build from their strengths to support their joy and participation in life, leisure, and work

What we should be doing instead of social skills groups

Why it's really easy to be a bad therapist and really hard to be a good one (plus some concrete steps to take to help get us there!)

View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Previous Episode

Dismantling Racism & Ableism with Lydia X. Z. Brown

Lydia X. Z. Brown is an autistic attorney and disability justice advocate who specifically focuses on violence against multiply-marginalized disabled people. In this episode, join us as we:

Dive deep into how white supremacy and white privilege play out for autistic kids

Learn how systematic racism and trauma impact the diagnosis and treatment of autistic kids, including the unexamined racism of many OTs

Explore the role that police and prisons play in the schools and lives of autistic black, brown, indigenous, Asian, and POC kids

Discuss concrete steps OTs can take to become anti-racist in their work

View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

Next Episode

Why OT Must Be Different From ABA with Greg Santucci, OTR/L

Greg is a pediatric occupational therapist who presents workshops nationally on topics related to sensory processing, challenging behaviors, and improving school-based therapy services. Greg is a huge advocate for best practice in OT. Join us as we discuss:

Why OTs already have the skills we need to work effectively and respectfully with our autistic clients, but often don't use them

How behavioral approaches such as planned ignoring and token boards can be harmful to our autistic clients

What empowering strategies we should all be using instead

View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast