Provincial - Let’s Talk Teen Mental Health

Workshop description 

More than 50% of autistic teens meet the criteria for a co-occurring mental health condition, most notably anxiety and depression (Matson & Williams, 2013). We invite you to join Danielle Nolan (MSW RSW) and Bethany Brewin (MSc OT) in a 2-week series to talk about your teen’s mental health and well-being. You will be provided with opportunities to connect with other parents and teens and will be given information and strategies for supporting teen mental health.   

Part 1: Workshop for Parents (November 9^th 7:00-8:00 PM)

The focus of week 1 is parents. This workshop will outline background information on co-occurring conditions, self-regulation, and stress. Parents will be taught parenting strategies for engaging and collaborating with their teens. They will then be shown concrete tools that can be used for promoting positive mental health and improving their coping skills in their home and community. 

Part 2: Workshop for Teens (November 16^th 7:00-8:00 PM)

The focus of week 2 is teens. This workshop will provide teens with information on their mental health, and they will have an opportunity to discuss their experiences. Teens will be shown strategies for collaborating with their parents and improving their sense of connection. They will then be introduced to coping tools and techniques that can be used to reduce anxiety and promote improvements in mental health. 

Matson, J. L., & Williams, L. W. (2013). Differential diagnosis and comorbidity: distinguishing autism from other mental health issues. Neuropsychiatry, 3(2), 233. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A325319020/AONE?u=anon~300d929c&sid=googleScholar&xid=37292826

Speaker Bio

Danielle is the Social Worker on Autism Ontario’s newly formed, Subject Matter Expert team. She lives in the East Region and has a particular interest in supporting rural populations. She completed her Master of Social Work designation at the University of Toronto where she gained practicum experience at the Hospital for Sick Children. Over the past 7 years, Danielle has worked in child welfare and children’s treatment. Most recently, Danielle was the social worker in an Autism Hub. She provided brief- and on-going emotional and instrumental support to children with ASD and their families. 

Bethany is an experienced occupational therapist living in Simcoe County. She attended the University of Toronto for her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She has worked with children, youth, and families across Canada, as well as providing consultation services to childcare settings, schools, and community organizations. Bethany has presented on a variety of topics over the years, from fine motor skills to the impact of screen time on early childhood development. She is particularly passionate about connecting with the world around us through mindfulness: engaging our senses to connect with our surroundings. Bethany is part of Autism Ontario's "Subject Matter Expert" team.