Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy and Physical Health: Autism, ADHD and Co-Occurring Health Conditions
The relationship between autism, ADHD, and a number of physical health conditions including hypermobility, dysautonomia, allergic conditions, gastrointestinal disorders and chronic pain is well established. Unfortunately, this research has not filtered down into practice, with autistic people and ADHDers frequently reporting negative experiences in therapy and barriers to accessing health services.
This gap in practice can result in diagnostic overshadowing, with symptoms of physical illness wrongly attributed to neurodivergence and valuable opportunities to access treatment and avoid dire outcomes being missed.
The National Roadmap to Improve the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People 2025-2035, recommends that mental health professionals take proactive steps to avoid diagnostic overshadowing, including training on common co-occurring health conditions.
This webinar takes an anti-oppressive, neurodiversity affirming, and trauma and violence informed perspective on the potentially devastating impacts of diagnostic overshadowing on autistic and ADHD therapy participants. It explores how practitioners can increase their confidence and capacity in screening for co-occurring health conditions to ensure they aren’t complicit in perpetuating iatrogenic harm, including:
Research on autistic/ADHD people’s experience of their physical health and accessing mental health services.
The risks of inadequate physical health screening in therapy for autistic and ADHD participants.
Barriers to adequate screening and healthcare.
Common physical health conditions for autistic people and ADHDers and the high risk of diagnostic overshadowing.
Unique challenges for autistic/ADHD people with physical health conditions.
Supporting autistic/ADHD people in ensuring their physical health needs are met.
This webinar has been created for counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, and social workers supporting autistic and ADHD participants in therapy; however, anyone from the community is welcome to attend.
Wednesday, 25th March 7pm-8pm AEDT
A recording of the webinar will be available for 60 days
Pay as you can:
$120
$90
$50