This virtual summit is designed to equip healthcare and education professionals with the knowledge and skills to better support neurodivergent individuals and their families. Our focus is on empowering caregivers to be neurodiversity-affirming, sensory-informed, trauma-informed, and to promote the overall well-being and actualization of their neurodivergent loved ones. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your professional practice and join a dedicated community committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by sensory challenges.

Weekly on Thursdays | November 7-21, 2024 | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Mountain Time

During this online event, we will equip professionals with a range of valuable tools and strategies to cultivate sensory health behaviors in the families they support and coach. You'll gain essential health literacy tools, learn effective communication techniques to establish relatability, acquire coaching strategies to empower caregivers and explore caregiver education techniques.

You will leave feeling empowered and ready to invite caregivers into the therapy gym, actively involve clients and caregivers in the goal-setting process, and utilize psychoeducational and occupational health-focused strategies. Gain the ability to reframe our cultural hyperfocus on children's "behaviors" and develop a deeper understanding of sensory integration and processing differences and the biopsychosocioecological model of disability. You'll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to create a more inclusive and effective therapeutic environment for your clients and their families.

Don't miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge, refine your skills, and join a dedicated community committed to cultivating sensory intelligence for the benefit of individuals and families. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by sensory challenges.

After participating in the 2024 Virtual Summit: Attendees will: 

• Analyze the principles of neurodiversity-affirming practice and application of a sensory health lens on differences in sensory processing & integration, applying this understanding to create inclusive and affirming practices in their professional settings. 

• Demonstrate confidence in engaging with caregivers by employing effective communication techniques and collaborative strategies that empower caregivers to actively participate in the therapeutic process. 

• Implement evidence-based strategies to promote sensory health behaviors within families, enhancing caregivers' ability to support the well-being and actualization of their neurodivergent loved ones. 

• Evaluate the role of family co-occupations and healthy performance patterns, developing interventions that foster meaningful participation and collaboration among family members. 

• Gain skills to reframe the cultural focus on children's behaviors, understanding the biopsychosocioecological model of disability, and utilizing psychoeducational approaches to create a supportive therapeutic environment. 

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What We'll Be Discussing - Confirmed to Date

Day 1 | November 7

8:00am - Lending Your Calm: Hard Conversations About Common Caregiver Fears | Oswin Latimer

9:00am - Video Games: Cultivating a Balanced and Healthy Approach | Dr. Elizabeth Kilmer

10:00am - Good Times with Out-of-Sync Kids: Activities for Grown-ups and Their Children with SPD | Carol Stock Kranowitz

11:00am - TBA | Natasha Nelson

Day 2 | November 14

8:00am - Liberating Parents to Love Instead of Teach | Daniela Wachholtz

9:00am - Setting the Stage for Parent Support: Behind the Scenes | Dr. Kathy Platzman

10:00am - Regulation is Contagious! Strategies to Validate Sensory Needs, Create Sensory Safe Environments and Prevent Power Struggles | Greg Santucci

11:00am -  Specific Strategies for Neurodivergent Caregiving: Understanding the Impact of Caregiver Expectations on Autistic Children | Sarah McCulloch

Day 3 | November 21

8:00am - Building Trust and Rapport with Caregivers: Techniques for Establishing a Strong, Trusting Relationship with Caregivers from the Start | Daria Brown

9:00am - Talking About Diagnoses Without Ableism | Dr. Lisa Marnell

10:00am - TBA | Melissa Schwartz 

11:00am - Expert Panel: Helping Parents Become Advocates with Dr. Virginia Spielmann, Daria Brown, Daniela Wachholz and Kathy Platzman

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Get to Know Our 2024 Speakers -  Confirmed to Date

Speaker Disclosure Statements

Virginia Spielmann (she/her) PhD, OTR/L STAR Institute USA	Carol Stock Kranowitz (she/her) Out-of-Sync Child series USA	Elizabeth Kilmer (she/they) PhD, LP Save Point Behavioral Health USA
Sarah McCulloch (she/her) MSc Founder of Autistic Empire United Kingdom	Lisa Marnell (she/her) OTD, MBA Kids Master Skills USA	Kathy Platzman (she/her) PhD Floortime Atlanta  USA
Oswin Latimer (Fae/Faer/They) Foundations for Divergent Minds USA	Greg Santucci OTR/L Children’s Specialized Hospital  USA	Daria Brown (she/her) MA ICDL Canada
Daniela Wachholtz (she/her) Centro STEPS Chile	Natasha Nelson (she/her) Supernova Parenting USA	Melissa Schwartz (she/her) Leading Edge Parenting USA

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Thank You to Our 2024 Sponsors

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Group Discount
Register 5 or more participants in a group and automatically receive a 10% discount!

Use the promotional code SUMMITGROUP24 upon checkout to automatically receive the discount on 5 or more registrations.

If participants of the group must pay separately, please:

1. Register all participants separately
2. Send the names of all participants in your group to Ewa Czupryna at ewa.czupryna@sensoryhealth.org by October 31, 2024
3. Once at least 5 registrations are received, each person will be partially refunded for the discounted amount

Groups must be determined and paid in full before the start of the conference.

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Who Should Attend

 Healthcare and education professionals, as well as caregivers, who want to better support neurodivergent individuals through neurodiversity-affirming, sensory-informed, and trauma-informed practices.

Level: Introductory

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Continuing Education: 

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Attendance Policy

Participants may join the conference at any time during the live broadcasts and/or view the recorded presentations for 45 days after the live-streamed event. To receive a CEU Certificate a brief CEU quiz must be completed and passed within 30 days after the event. Passing is getting at least an 80% score for each approved section. Individuals who do not meet both requirements will not receive AOTA or ASHA CEUs. No partial credit will be provided.

All participants may otherwise receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Video recordings are available to all participants for 45 days after the event

Do you have a disability that would require special accommodations?

Please contact us at education@sensoryhealth.org and describe how we can help accommodate your needs.


Cancellation Policy

All registrations must be finalized or cancelled for a full refund by October 31, 2024. Registrations cancelled after October 31, 2024 will be deferred to a future course sponsored by STAR Institute.

In the event this program must be cancelled due to illness, fire, strikes, war, acts of God, terrorism or other causes that would prevent the event from taking place, STAR Institute will attempt to reschedule the event. If the event is unable to be rescheduled, STAR Institute will refund all tuition fees paid.