Autism Connections' annual conference continues to attract nationally known personalities in the autism field to our community, and this year is no exception. 

During the morning keynote presentation, Dr. Karen Levine will discuss her book Attacking Anxiety, a step-by-step guide to an engaging approach to treating anxiety and phobias in children with autism.

After lunch, Ron Suskind shares his thoughts on his powerful family biography, Life, Animated, which was recently adapted to a documentary shown on the television channel A&E, in theaters across the country and profiled on the news program 20/20. The Conference will wrap up with a book signing, so get your pens ready! 

Attendee Registration!

Sponsorship/Exhibitor/Advertising Registration

Dr. Karen Levine, Attacking Anxiety 

 

Dr. Levine is a Licensed Psychologist with a Ph.D. in Psychology from Boston University (1989), a Masters in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (1985) and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Brandeis University (1982).   She holds an academic appointment as Lecturer in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and as Adjunct Faculty, Lesley University.  She was the co-founder and co-director of the Boston Children’s Hospital Autism Program in the late 1980’s, of the Building Blocks Specialty Service Provider program, where she continues to provide consultation, and of the Spotlight program of the Northeast ARC in the late 1990’s.  She formerly worked at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Cambridge Health Alliance.

Karen has been a Developmental Psychologist for more than 25 years, incorporating a developmental, relationship-based approach to assessment and treatment as a means of lowering anxiety and distress.  Karen believes there is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach to assessment or treatment, and that individual children and families need different kinds of support at different points in their development.

Dr. Levine has authored numerous articles and book chapters, and with Naomi Chedd, she has authored 3 books, one of which, Attacking Anxiety, will be the basis of her presentation.

Ron Suskind, Life, Animated 

 

Ron is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author whose latest book, Life, Animated (2014), chronicles his family’s twenty-year journey raising and connecting to their autistic son. The Suskinds are also the subject of an award-winning documentary feature of the same name (2016). Their story has driven activism and research about the compensatory strengths of those with autism and others who are “differently-abled” due to distinctive neurology or sociocultural backgrounds. Ron’s company, Sidekicks, is leading efforts to build a next generation of augmentative technologies to lift and support these communities.

Registration opens January 9, 2017

General Registration
Registration: $125/person

General Registration
Registration: $120/person for groups of 3+

Parent/Caregiver/Individual on the Spectrum
Registration: $75/person

A limited number of scholarships are available for $35. Please call Katie Drumm for more information at 413-529-2428, x111, or katie.drumm@pathlightgroup.org.

Register Now!

Thank you to our Sponsors and Exhibitors!

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Radcliffe is the Reason and Arthur too!

 

 

STANDARD SPONSOR

 

CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS

 

 

EXHIBITORS

AFAM

Berkshire County ARC

Berkshire Hills Music Academy

Boston Children's Hospital (SPARK)

Cambridge College

Collaborative for Educational Services

Community Therapy Associates

Crystal Springs School

Elms College

Family Empowerment

Guild for Human Services

Home Modification Loan Program/Pioneer Valley Planning Commission

HOPE Autism Support Group

INDEX, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, UMass Medical School

Jericho

Jewish Community Center, Springfield

 Milestones Day Program

Nana's Campcrafts and More

NEBA (New England Business Associates)

Pathlight

Prospect Meadow Farm

Radcliffe is the Reason and Arthur Too!

Riverside Industries

Sunshine Village

Trinity Healthcare (Mercy Hospital)

UCP, Berkshire

Weldon's Children Rehab Center, Mercy Hospital

Western MA Fragile X Group

Whole Children

Yale Child Study Center