Dori Zener & Associates Newsletter - September 2024

Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.

On September 30th, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation & Orange Shirt Day,?we honour?the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities.??

Donations can be made to the?Orange Shirt Society?and the?Indian Residential School Survivors Society.

At Dori Zener & Associates, in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we commit?to improving our understanding of local Indigenous peoples and their cultures especially when it comes to decolonizing mental health services and supporting Neurodiverse Indigenous People.

Many Indigenous communities view Autism through a non-pathological, non-medical lens seeing Autism as a gift rather than a deficit.

To learn more, please visit the following resources:

The Gift of Being Different, a short documentary, follows?Grant Bruno as he navigates?the world?of autism. Grant is a parent to Autistic children and a PhD researcher exploring?autism?in First Nations communities. Grant?is a registered member?of nipsihkipahk (Samson Cree Nation), one of the reserves?that makes up Maskwacis, Alberta. Through the film we learn his community views autism as a gift.???

Decolonizing Stories of Autism in Education?is a narrative interviewing and multimedia storymaking initiative that brought together Indigenous and settler researchers and activists from Canada, New Zealand and the UK to make space in educational research for alternatives to Western biomedical deficit stories of autism and research.?

“This is a history painting, a recording of how Natives have been treated and where we are at now. It’s a voice for those who had been forgotten, and their stories should be told in a resounding way.” - Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun

Unlock Clarity and Growth in Just One Session

Single Session Therapy (SST) offers a transformative, evidence-based approach to addressing a specific challenge or goal in a focused, 90-minute session. Rooted in research, SST has proven effective in fostering hope, insight, and tangible progress in clients seeking immediate breakthroughs. Led by Dori, whose clinical expertise ensures a highly personalized experience, this session provides a unique opportunity to gain clarity and actionable tools for your journey. Each 90-minute session comes with tailored resources to support your continued growth.

Cost: $400/90 minute session

What sorts of issues or goals are appropriate for an SST session?

• Understand your neurodivergent profile
• Clarify your therapy goals
• Build emotional awareness
• Understand the “why” behind how you experience the world
• Improve executive functioning
• How to make and maintain friendships and relationships
• Managing stress and reducing meltdowns and shutdowns
• Masking and unmasking
• Establish healthy habits
• Clarify your values and motivations
• Understand your neurodivergent loved one
• Develop self-care and self-compassion
• Networking strategies
• Explore your accommodations and how to advocate for them
• Building a strengths-based career

How do I book an SST? You can book an SST with Dori online through our Jane booking portal.

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free

Date:?October 23, 2024

Time:12:00 pm -1:00 pm EDT

Who should attend??Parents and/or caregivers of Autistic girls/young women ages 0-18; autistic self-advocates; professionals

In conjunction with Your Support Services Network (YSSN), Dori Zener, RSW, will be hosting a webinar that offers valuable insights into the unique experiences, strengths, and shared characteristics of autistic girls and women, shedding light on why this demographic often goes unnoticed, resulting in delayed or missed diagnoses.

Register Here

Dori Zener & Associates has services for teens aged 12+ including individual therapy and our Wildflowers peer group for teen girls and non-binary individuals.

Registered Social Worker, Chelsea Hack, shares the following tips for teens who are interested in or starting therapy.?

5 Things to Know About Therapy For Teens?

1. It’s okay to feel scared, nervous, or not want to do therapy - many people feel this way before starting therapy.?
2. It’s important you feel comfortable with your therapist - the 20 min consultations are a good place to learn more about a potential therapist and whether you think they will be a good fit for you.
3. Therapy is confidential - the only time what you talk about in therapy will be shared with with your parents is if there are concerns about safety or you have given your therapist permission to share.?
4. A lot of different topics can be talked about in therapy - some possible things to talk to a therapist about are school, friendships, family, stress, anxiety, emotions and more.?
5. It’s common to learn new things in therapy - about yourself, skills and strategies, about mental health, how your brain works and much more.

September is Suicide Awareness Month

During Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, we must highlight how to specifically support Autistic individuals experiencing suicidal ideation. Research shows that for every non-Autistic person who dies by suicide, seven Autistic individuals die by suicide (Hirvikoski et al., 2016; Kirby et al., 2019). This alarming statistic, among many others, emphasizes the urgent need for neurodiversity-affirming strategies that effectively support Autistic clients and peers through suicidal ideation. That is why our team at Dori Zener & Associates wants to share four tailored neurodiversity-affirming tips for supporting Autistic adults through suicidal ideation.?

1. Offer non-verbal methods of gauging and sharing thoughts around suicide It can be incredibly difficult for anyone in crisis to express their emotions and ask for help, but for Autistic individuals, verbalizing complex or overwhelming feelings can be even more challenging. Many Autistic adults struggle with verbal communication or alexithymia, making it hard to identify or articulate emotions. Providing non-verbal options—such as a numbered scale with descriptions, communication cards, or emotion wheels- creates a safer space for expressing emotions without the pressure of finding the right words. These tools help both the individual and supporter to understand their emotional state and needs. ?
2. Remember that outward expression does not always equal internal experience.? It's not unusual for the way an Autistic person feels inside to differ from how they appear outwardly to others. They may smile or laugh when upset or have a strong outward emotional reaction without being in an immediate crisis. Many maintain a neutral tone and facial expression while experiencing significant internal distress. This seemingly mismatched appearance is a natural part of their neurodivergence and does not mean their feelings are any less real or important. ?
3. Acknowledge the fear of negative consequences.? Many Autistic individuals may worry that sharing their intense feelings could lead to criticism or punitive actions; especially if they have experienced such responses in the past. Additionally, there are valid concerns about being placed in unsuitable environments like overstimulating psychiatric units which often restrict autonomy, disrupt routines, and limit access to comfort items/foods. ?
4. Co-create next steps.? Having a clear plan and direction is often very helpful for Autistic individuals. However, any plan must be developed collaboratively to respect their autonomy and preferences and to avoid triggering demand avoidance. Autistic individuals are the experts on their own needs and have valuable insights into what works best. Suicidal ideation often stems from feeling a lack of control over the factors contributing to their distress. Therefore, it’s important not to impose additional control, but to work together in a way that honours their agency and preferences.

Join One of Our Monthly Meetings

Good Company meets monthly?with meeting choices on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.? This Autistic-led online group aims to connect Autistic women and non-binary adults around areas of mutual interest while building community.

Cost: $12/monthly meeting

Register to become a member of our Good Company community.

Rainbow Spectrum Pride meets monthly on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30 pm- 8:30 pm.An Autistic-led support and social group RSP is designed for 2SLGBTQIA+ Autistic adults. Discussion is geared toward these intersecting identities and experiences.

Register to become a member of Rainbow Spectrum Pride.?

Thank you for reading our Dori Zener & Associates' August 2024 LinkedIn Newsletter. If you require further information or have any questions please reach out to us at [email protected]