Mental Health Speakers series 2020

[Margot]

We are running a series of webinars on autistic mental health and employment in sync with the World mental health days.
We have exciting speakers lined up


Emily Lovegrove - Workplace bullying

Dr Lovegrove is an Autistic Psychologist (biology, anxiety, autism, and anti-bullying strategies). Speaker, trainer, researcher, author of ‘Autism Bullying and Me’

See the video below in the thread.



Jon Adams - Autism and suicide


Damian Milton - Autistic wellbeing, from flow to belonging

Author of the Double Empathy theory of autism, Dr Damian Milton is an author, consultant, Lecturer in Intellectual and Developmental Disability at Tizard Centre, University of Kent and chair of the Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC). Damian one of leading autistic autism researchers with an interest in autistic wellbeing.

See slides and video below in the thread.

John Simpson - My journey to wellbeing

John is an autistic man delivering inspirational training to staff, parents/carers and autistic people to change beliefs, expectations and approaches to autism spectrum conditions.

Watch the video below in the thread.



The events are of course free to attend,



Looking forward to seeing you.



What questions do you have to the speakers?

 

[Natashanathan6]

Hi how do we make sure when we need help we get the right help? Not just medication but Psychologist who understands autism? Speech and language therapist because unable to communicate? Sensory profile help including sensory modulate.
So when someone is natural trying to calm themselves down, and there sensory profile, can make them have a meltdown, it's then miss read as the staff thinking they must quickly pushed down to the floor restrained, pulled their paints down and stabbed with injection? Thinking this will help calm an autistic down? Put in fact it makes us worse, already scared and hates being touched it could actually lead to us having another meltdown because of this? All we need is to make sure we are in a safe environment, dim the light, don't crowd us, give us access to what every helps calm us. Like a teddy bear, toy, light, or music and let us learn to calm down by ourselves.

 

[Margot]

Thank you to Damian for his fantastic talk today and to everyone for attending.

These are Damian's slides from today.

 

[cundiamor]

Hi, I wondered if the talk was recorded. I missed it as I was at work. Will it be on the Forum. If yes please send me the link.

Regards

Jacky

 

[Margot]

The recorded video of Damian Milton's lecture about wellbeing
For limited time only until 21 October.

View attachment Damian Milton Wellbeing from flow to belonging 1.mp4

 

[Margot]

We had a very informative session about Autism, Resilience, Mental Health and Employment with John Simpson with a fantastic Q&A . The video will be uploaded soon.

 

[Thunderchild]

 

[Pol]

Hi how do we make sure when we need help we get the right help? Not just medication but Psychologist who understands autism? Speech and language therapist because unable to communicate? Sensory profile help including sensory modulate.
So when someone is natural trying to calm themselves down, and there sensory profile, can make them have a meltdown, it's then miss read as the staff thinking they must quickly pushed down to the floor restrained, pulled their paints down and stabbed with injection? Thinking this will help calm an autistic down? Put in fact it makes us worse, already scared and hates being touched it could actually lead to us having another meltdown because of this? All we need is to make sure we are in a safe environment, dim the light, don't crowd us, give us access to what every helps calm us. Like a teddy bear, toy, light, or music and let us learn to calm down by ourselves.

Hello Natasha, the best help is preventative help before any "staff" are involved, It is about self-regulation learning the breathing techniques, the calming techniques, the circle of support which could be family friends support groups, GP. Sometimes you got to stay in and avoid anxious situations, even to changing your lifestyle to do what you can do and not stretch yourself so that fatigue/stress/anxiety/anger are kept to a minimum.
The diagnosis needs to be comprehensive and positively written so that it is clear that the condition is Autism not Adhd/Narcissim/OCD/depression or any combination.
The list you have made, of things to help calm is great, it is up to the person with Autism to provide them, do not get caught out without the sunglasses / the headphones/ the notebook and pen/advice on a card for others to help, carry all that will help anything! Be prepared.
Let us control our sensory input
Pol

 

[Margot]

The video from Emily Lovegrove's talk about bullying.

 

[seraphim]

Thank you for this. It was interesting and I wish I could have participated.