Helping Autistic Clients Surviving Sexual Trauma
Presented by Kate McNulty, LCSW
Recorded on Friday, March 29th, 2024
Access provided upon registration on “My Courses” page
Autistic individuals, especially those with more severe disabilities, are more likely to be exposed to unwanted sexual content, violence, and victimization (Brown et al., 2017). They also experience higher rates of bullying by peers and maltreatment by caregivers. This predisposes them to acquiesce to predatory behavior and to lack self-protective skills.
Therapists who work with sexual victimization are likely to encounter this problem with autistic survivors and will benefit from specialized knowledge of effective approaches for supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Identifying factors contributing to the vulnerability of autistic clients is necessary for mental health providers to provide optimal care. During this session participants will discuss methods to modify services for greater accessibility for autistic clients. Participants will then participant in collaborative case studies to assist in identifying the factors contributing to vulnerability and applying the various methods for making services more accessible for the autistic population.
This program, when attended in its entirety, offers 2.0 CEs for Psychologists, 2.0 IL CEUs for Counselors and Social Workers, 2.0 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSW, and LMFTs, or 2.0 AASECT CEs for Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists.
Disabled people face significantly higher risk of interpersonal violence and sexual assault than those who are not disabled. Autistic people experience higher rates of bullying by peers and maltreatment by caregivers. This predisposes them to acquiesce to predatory behavior and to lack self-protective skills.
Therapists who work with sexual victimization are likely to encounter this problem with autistic survivors and will benefit from specialized knowledge of effective approaches for supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Identifying factors contributing to the vulnerability of autistic clients is necessary for mental health providers to provide optimal care. During this session participants will discuss research based methods to modify services for greater accessibility for autistic clients. Participants will then participant in collaborative case studies to assist in identifying the factors contributing to vulnerability and applying the various methods for making services more accessible for the autistic population.
After attending this introductory-level program, participants will be able to:
- Identify 3 ways to modify your services for greater accessibility for autistic clients with sexual victimization.
- Name 2 factors contributing to the vulnerability of autistic clients.
This program meets APA’s continuing education STANDARD 1.3: Program content focuses on topics related to psychological practice, education, or research other than application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that are supported by contemporary scholarship grounded in established research procedures.
This program meets APA’s continuing education GOAL 1: Program is relevant to psychological practice, education, and/or science.
This program meets AASECT Core Knowledge Area for:
B – Developmental sexuality from a bio-psycho-social perspective across the lifespan.
E – Intimacy skills (e.g., social, emotional, sexual) and family dynamics.
H – Health/medical factors that may influence sexuality i.e. illness, disability, mental health, safer sex.
J – Sexual exploitation, including sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.
O – Professional communication skills.
This program meets AASECT Sexuality Counseling training for:
A – Theory and methods of personal/individual counseling.
B – Theory and methods of sexuality counseling approaches to specific populations.
C – Theory and practice of consultation, collaboration, and referral.
This program meets AASECT Sexuality Educator training for:
D – Theory and methods of approaches to sexuality education with specific populations (e.g., youth, older adults, couples, ethnic/ cultural/ faith-based populations, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities).
General Admission: $30
The Chicago School Faculty/Staff/Alumni: $20*
The Chicago School Students: $15*
(*Please email [email protected] for coupon code)
Refund Policy: 100% of tuition is refundable up to 48 hours before the program. Within 48 hours of the program, and at any point in Homestudy format, tuition is nonrefundable.
Kate McNulty, LCSW
Kate McNulty is an autistic and gender variant clinician who currently works with adults in private practice. Kate has an extensive history of clinical experience with gender non-conforming youth. Kate is certified as an AASECT Sex Therapist and Supervisor.
Brown, K., Peña, E., & Rankin, S. (2017). Unwanted sexual contact: Students with autism and other disabilities at greater risk (2017). Journal of College Student Development, 58. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2017.0059
Cazalis, F., Reyes, E., Leduc, S., & Gourion, D. (2022). Evidence that nine autistic women out of ten have been victims of sexual violence. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.852203
Dike, J., DeLucia, E. A., Semones, O., Andrzejewski, T., & McDonnell, C. G. (2022). A Systematic review of sexual violence among Autistic individuals. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10(3), 576–594.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-022-00310-0
Gibbs, V., Hudson, J. L., Hwang, Y. I., Arnold, S. R. C., Trollor, J. N., & Pellicano, E. (2021). Experiences of physical and sexual violence as reported by autistic adults without intellectual disability: Rate, gender patterns and clinical correlates. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 89, 101866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2021.101866
Target Audience: Therapists who work with clients who are autistic and who are survivors of sexual assault.
Psychologists. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 2.0 continuing education credits. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in its continuing education activities. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is also committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles for Psychologists. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods.
Counselors/Clinical Counselors. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available 2.0 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for counselors and clinical counselors. License Number: 197.000159
Social Workers. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 2.0 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for social workers. License Number: 159.001036
MFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs. Course meets the qualifications for 2.0 hour of continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. If you are licensed outside of California please check with your local licensing agency to to determine if they will accept these CEUs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to offer continuing education programming for MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is an accredited or approved postsecondary institution that meets the requirements set forth in Sections 4980.54(f)(1), 4989.34, 4996.22(d)(1), or 4999.76(d) of the Code.
Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. This program meets the requirements of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is approved for 2.0 CE credits. The Office of Continuing Education at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology has been approved as an AASECT Provider of continuing education credits! Provider number 23-519-CW. These CE credits may be applied toward AASECT certification and renewal of certification. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT certification. For further information please contact [email protected].
Non Psychologists. Most licensing boards accept Continuing Education Credits sponsored by the American Psychological Association but non-psychologists are recommended to consult with their specific state-licensing board to ensure that APA-sponsored CE is acceptable.
*Participants must attend 100% of the program in order to obtain a Certificate of Attendance.
If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address questions, concerns and any complaints to [email protected]. There is no commercial support for this program nor are there any relationships between the CE Sponsor, presenting organization, presenter, program content, research, grants, or other funding that could reasonably be construed as conflicts of interest.
https://tcsppofficeofce.com/product/helping-autistic-clients-with-sexual-trauma/