Overview

This session will explore what it means to work alongside individuals with intellectual disability and/or autistic individuals in a way that is respectful, person-centred, and evidence-informed. Through a panel of clinicians and people with lived experience, we will discuss the realities of practice across different settings, including therapeutic, community, and NDIS-funded contexts.

Topics will include building therapeutic relationships, understanding communication and behaviour, navigating systems and supports, and reflecting on ethical and neurodiversity-affirming approaches. The panel will also share practical insights for early career psychologists stepping into this work—what they wish they had known, and how to grow with curiosity, confidence, and care.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this event, participants should be able to:

• Develop an understanding of the experiences, needs, and strengths of people with intellectual disability and/or autism, as shared by clinicians and those with lived experience.
• Identify key considerations for building respectful, effective therapeutic relationships with neurodivergent clients.
• Explore early career pathways and opportunities for professional development in the field of intellectual disability and autism.

Presenter(s)

About the presenter(s)

Stephanie Watts (she/her) is a multiply neurodivergent psychologist (AuDHD) with a passion and interest in the neurodivergent experience. Stephanie is a board approved supervisor and current PhD candidate focusing on autism diagnostic process from both a lived and clinical experience. Stephanie utilises a neurodiversity affirming approach to support clients in understanding their own way of processing the world, with the focus of identifying and understanding needs, the development of self -advocacy skills, and providing strategies for each individual to meet their own goals.

Dr. Martina Waring is a UK-trained Clinical Psychologist with more than 30 years of experience working with children and young people who live with neurodiversity. She runs her own Psychology practice in SE Melbourne and is an NDIS registered Behaviour Support Practitioner. Dr Waring specialises in working with complex cases.

Dr. Hugh Walker is a clinical psychologist, board-approved supervisor and co-director of Minds & Hearts (www.mindsandhearts.net), which provides psychology, speech therapy, and occupational therapy services to neurodiverse children, adolescents, and adults. With over a decade of experience in providing neurodevelopmental assessments and supporting the treatment of co-occurring mental health conditions for this population, Hugh is often requested to provide training and/or case management to other services such as schools, universities, hospitals and clinics in the private and public sectors.

Anita Gardner is a psychologist and Board Approved Supervisor who started out in 2000 at Autism Spectrum Australia, kind of by chance, but she quickly found a real passion for the work. Since then, she’s supported neurodivergent kids, teens, and adults in mental health, NDIS, and behaviour support. She’s now also in a research role at The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network and an adjunct fellow at Western Sydney University. Anita volunteers as the Event Coordinator with the APS Psychology of Intellectual Disability and Autism (PIDA) and her local Parkrun. She also regularly speaks at national and international conferences as an autistic ally.

Notes

Target Audience

This event is aimed at early career psychologists and/or psychology students interested in learning more about working in the autism / disability sector.

Duration of Access

This event will be recorded. The recording will be emailed to all registered within 2 weeks post event and available for viewing up to 90 days.

CPD

It is up to attendees to assess and determine how learning from this event aligns with the requirements of their learning plan. The providers accordingly do not make any representation that the event counts towards attendees’ CPD learning requirements. If an attendee determines themselves that the learning they complete aligns to their learning plan, then they can decide to count those hours towards their CPD requirements for the registration cycle.

The information in this presentation has been prepared in good faith and for educational purposes only. Therefore, the information is general in nature and should not be relied upon in the treatment of any condition and you should seek your own independent professional and/or legal advice concerning any specific issue. The APS accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or decisions relating to the information. The content should not be reproduced without permission or unless permitted by law.

If you are experiencing registration difficulties please contact APS Events Support.