Overview
Join lived-experience practitioners Claire and Seanna for a transformative two-day workshop that will stretch your thinking, deepen your practice, boost your confidence and invite you to explore inclusive care in new ways. Learn practical skills, through honest conversations, and systemic reflection - exploring how to support neurodivergent and LGBTIQAP+ individuals in schools, families, healthcare, and workplaces. This workshop is a space to be curious, to get it wrong, to ask questions - and to grow.
Being neurodivergent and/or LGBTIQAP+ deeply shapes how individuals experience the world - and how the world responds to them. From early life through adulthood, these identities often intersect with misunderstanding, exclusion, and systemic barriers - especially in healthcare and education. This can lead to isolation, reduced wellbeing, and complex mental health challenges.
Increasing evidence suggests a strong connection between neurodivergent identities and LGBTIQAP+ identities. Gender diverse individuals are more likely to be autistic along with experiencing higher rates of ADHD. Research suggests that autistic people presents a unique experience to the formation and consolidation of sexual orientation and gender identity. Identifying as Neuroqueer means that a person sees their neurodivergent and queer identities as interacting with each other. For therapists, teachers, and helping professionals, understanding this intersectionality is paramount in addressing barriers and this means we must not only learn new approaches - but unlearn the ones that no longer serve. That takes curiosity, humility, and courage.
Learning Outcomes
Learning Objectives
- Understand key terminology
- Recognise intersectionality
- Build confidence in working with the neuroqueer population
- Identify challenges, barriers and biases
- Implement best practices and supportive environments
- Develop a systemic lens to assisting individuals in families, school and workplaces
- Develop individualised care and support plans
Through interactive sessions, discussions, case studies (across the lifespan) and practical exercises, you'll build the skills, competency and confidence needed to foster safe, supportive environments where every individual feels valued and empowered. Participants will also learn about specific systemic and therapeutic approaches and engage in case study discussions to apply their knowledge in practical settings. Join us to deepen your understanding, enhance your practice, and champion equity and inclusion in your practice and workplace.
Presenter(s)
Claire Barbagallo & Sean Keeley
About the presenter(s)
Claire Barbagallo and Seanna Keeley. In 2022, Claire and Seanna created The Courageous Space, a service where people can be affirmed for who they truly are. Here they are the directors of a multidisciplinary practice with a focus on supporting children, adolescents and adults within the LGBTIQAPSB+ and neurodivergent communities.
Claire is a neurodivergent Speech Therapist and Family Therapist who has a passion for working with the neuroqueer community. Over the past 10 years, Claire has worked across education Queensland, Child and Youth Mental Health Services, and was a part of the very beginnings of the QLD Children's Gender Service, where she set up the speech therapy role. Claire also has a passion for providing education and upskilling to speech therapy students, new graduates and experienced therapists to create a more inclusive, affirming future in healthcare.
Seanna is a Neuroqueer Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Clinical Family Therapy. Seanna has over a decade of experience working with LGBTIQAPSB+ young people and their families and has worked in both Australia and the UK across multiple settings including Paediatric and Adult Hospitals, non-government organisations, mental health and the Queensland Children’s Gender Service. Seanna provides supervision to Social Workers and Allied Health professionals working with LGBTIQAPSB+ people.