Anxiety, Phobias, and the Therapeutic Use of Humor - with Dr. Karen Levine

11/24/23 • 64 min

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Autistic and other neurodivergent people of all ages are vulnerable to many factors, both internal and external, that may lead to anxiety and phobias. Dr. Karen Levine’s publications and clinical innovations have directly addressed these challenges in respectful and insightful ways. We discuss ways to understand such challenges and provide support based on a deeper understanding of the experiences shared by autistic individuals and neurodivergent individuals. Karen discusses her approach focusing on relationships, affective support, and the use of humor in co-regulation .

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Explore more on the episode's webpage.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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De-pathologizing Series EP 1 – The Many Meanings of NO - with Barry and Dave

One of the most challenging behavioral patterns observed in neurodivergent individuals with developmental challenges (and, in fact, all children!), is when they verbally or nonverbally communicate “NO”. In fact, the term “Non-compliance” has been the most frequently used phrase when characterizing refusal or protest behavior, and such behavior most often raises the “ire” of an adult partner. In approaches that focusing only on the surface behavior, and do not explore the “deep why”, reducing “non-compliant” behavior is often targeted in behavior plans for children. However, when a child communicates “NO”, the picture may be much more complex than it first appears. In this first episode or our de-pathologizing series, Barry and Dave explore these complexities.

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De-pathologizing Series EP 2 – Exploring the "Deep Why" of Control - with Barry and Dave

In his first description of autism, Leo Kanner noted that “insistence on preservation of sameness” was a distinguishing characteristic of autistic individuals. This may be manifest in a number of characteristics including “resistance to change” and the need to maintain routines that have been established in daily activities. Often such patterns may be manifest throughout the lifespan and too often, are described primarily as problematic and as a “symptom” of autism. But what if rather than viewing “control” through the lens of pathology, we consider the “deep why”. That is, from the perspective of the person who is viewed as controlling, what functions might be served by such patterns? Barry and Dave discuss the issue of control from their own personal experiences.

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