Calming the Storm: Self-Regulation Strategies for Children with ADHD, High-Functioning Autism, Learning Disabilities & Sensory Disorders

Overview: This workshop will help you to better intervene with the challenging child - the one who will not sit still; doesn't follow directions; often throws tantrums; or has difficulty waiting for their turn. They react impulsively and have difficulty expressing what they need or what is frustrating them. We know this child is intelligent, caring and kind, but their behavior doesn't reflect these positive qualities. These are the children who confuse and frustrate parents and who overwhelm teachers and peers.

Join clinical psychologist, Dr. Laura Ehelrt, and learn how to effectively intervene with emotional and behavioral dysregulation using techniques that address the sensory, language and executive functioning processing deficits that trigger them. Through discussion and hands-on activities, you will learn how to create appropriate behavioral expectations and environments that will help children with High-Functioning Autism, ADHD, Learning Disabilities, and Sensory Processing Disorders.

Laura Ehlert, Psy.D., LP. is a clinical psychologist who has worked with children and adolescents with severe emotional/behavioral issues for over 25 years. She holds a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology where her training focused on developmental issues of childhood, and child psychopathology issues. Over the years, she has worked with thousands of youth in a variety of settings including hospitals, residential treatment centers, partial hospial programs, school day treatment and outpatient mental health settings. Dr. Ehlert maintains a private practice in Burnsville, Minnesota, where she specializes in working with clients who struggle with information and sensory processing deficits and associated emotional, behavioral and mental health issues. Professionals who have worked with Dr. Ehlert in the past have often commented that interventions she offered succeeded where others have failed.  

Objectives:

At the conclusion of the workshop, the participant will be able to:

• Communicate how sensory, language, and executive skills impairments create fight/flight/freeze and defensive responses that lead to dysregulation and related behavioral issues in children.
• Select the appropriate intervention strategies to improve skills including self-control, social success, emotional regulation, and task-completion.
• Employ behavior modification techniques and problem-solving strategies to diffuse escalated and oppositional behavior.
• Implement environmental strategies to accommodate children's processing deficits and emotional regulation needs.
• Utilize problem-solving strategies to develop appropriate behavioral expectations and coping mechanisms for improved self-regulation.
• Apply cognitive restructuring strategies to reduce frequency, severity and duration of children's behavioral and emotional outbursts.

Who Should Attend: This intermediate level workshop is appropriate for all professionals who work with children who struggle with behavior and self-regulation skills. This includes psychologists, social workers, mental health professionals, teachers, OT, SLP, SPED, administrators and educators. .

Schedule:

8:00 - 8:30 am

Registration and light continental breakfast

8:30 - 10:00 

Improving our Perspective: Insight into the Child's Point of View

Sensory Deficits and Behavior

10:00 - 10:10

Break

10:10 - 11:40

Language/Learning Deficits and Behavior

11:40 - 12:50 pm

Lunch (on your own)

12:50 - 2:20

Executive Functioning Deficits and Behavior

2:20 - 2:30 

Break

2:30 - 4:00

Putting it Together: Behavioral & Problem Solving Strategies

Brain Training

Neuro-Biological Considerations

Register Now!