About this event
DATES:
DAY 1 – Friday 1st November – 5PM – 9.30PM (GMT)
DAY 2 – Saturday 2nd November – 5PM – 9.30PM (GMT)
DAY 3 – Sunday 3rd November – 5PM – 9.30PM (GMT)
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Rarely has there been a genuinely affirming and acceptant community space for neurodivergent therapists and counselors to receive support and encounter each other in authentic ways. In the growth-promoting spirit of the esteemed La Jolla Program encounter groups originated and still run at Carl Rogers’ Center for Studies of the Person, Matt Bolton (Florida), Cheryl Leong (California), and Doug Ronning (California) join forces here to co-facilitate–specifically for neurodivergent therapists and counselors–what is sure to be an invigorating 3 days of virtual community gathering.
Whether you are interested in discussing a particular theory or topic of therapy, really getting into the moment experientially, seeking a space in which you may feel free just to be and observe, looking to network with like-minded individuals, or simply wanting to learn from others in a supportive space, there is room for you here! Conversation may be as structured or as structured as participants wish, and there will be no pressure on anyone to participate.
As co-facilitators–all neurodivergent–we aim to promote an affirming space which is respectful of all neurotypes and in which there is room for conversation on many different topics. Each day’s meeting will last 4-and-a-half hours, including a half-hour break. Two hours each day will be for open, full-group encounter and two hours will be given to smaller, more intimate breakout groups for more focused conversation and relating. To ensure we can give adequate attention to all who desire it, we are limiting participation for this event to 80 people. Furthermore, to encourage open sharing and communication, this event will not be recorded.
ZOOM
This workshop will be hosted on the Zoom meeting platform where we will use our cameras and microphones to interact with each other as a group.
SELF-SELECT FEE
The self-select fee is a radical inclusion policy to open learning for all colleagues. The guide price for this event is £120.00, however, we appreciate that income varies greatly in different locations and circumstances. Please contribute what you can to help us maintain inclusive professional training.
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All the colleagues at ONLINEVENTS and the presenters we collaborate with are committed to working in a manner consistent with the BACP Ethical Framework, which can be accessed on the link below. When registering for this event you are agreeing to be present and interact in a manner that is consistent with this Framework.
Matthew Bolton
Matt Bolton is an autistic-ADHD second-year student in the clinical social work graduate program at Saint Leo University in Florida. Person-centered, neuroaffirming, anti-racist, and LGBTQIA+ affirming but, perhaps most of all curious about and appreciative of others’ unique experiences, he enjoys therapeutic work with adolescents and young adults who go through varied life problems. Matt incorporates a systemic perspective to deconstruct and examine social power structures related to ableism, heteronormativity, neuronormativity, patriarchy, and racism. This empowers his consideration of the intricate, intersectional functioning and relating of the person in their environment. He has undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology and is an adjunct instructor of psychology and first-year experience courses at Saint Leo. Matt enthusiastically engages in cross-discipline research and writes on matters of learning, life, neurodivergence, and person-centeredness. He facilitates a weekly, encounter-format peer support group for neurodivergent therapists and counselors.
Matthew J. Bolton | Social Work, Psychology, Writing (mattbolton.me)
Doug Ronning
Doug Ronning is an Assistant Professor and Core Faculty in the Counseling Psychology M.A. Drama Therapy Program at California Institute of Integral Studies, a Marriage and Family Therapist, and Drama Therapist (RDT-BCT) in the San Francisco Bay Area. In clinical practice, he specializes in supporting neurodivergent (2e, gifted, Autistic, ADHD/VAST) adolescents and adults toward personal, communal, and numinous growth. He utilizes a multi-modal creative embodied approach that integrates drama therapy, expressive arts, HRV biofeedback, and multiple psychotherapeutic frameworks. He created Gamescape Center for Creativity and Growth, where he facilitates gaming events and role-play game groups that focus on pro-social interaction, values clarification, and identity expansion. He has written articles and co-authored chapters on drama therapy.
Cheryl Leong
Cheryl Leong is a Marriage and Family Therapist based in California (unceded Ohlone territory). Working from a neuroaffirming perspective, she helps individuals and couples and specializes in matters of ADHD, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders. Dedicated to affirming historically marginalized experiences and to addressing the multifaceted nature of mental health, she is also attuned to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community and Asian/Asian-American individuals. Cheryl integrates Jungian expressive arts, the Gottman Method, cognitive mindfulness, and transactional analysis for a holistic and adaptable framework tailored to each client. She is a co-author of the article “Decentering Neuronormativity: A Transactional Analysis Impasse Theory Perspective for Understanding ADHD Masking and Authentically Honoring the Da Vinci Archetype Within” which appears in Transactional Analysis Journal and author of the forthcoming book “Your ADHD Life in Full Bloom.” Proudly diagnosed with ADHD herself, Cheryl is committed to supporting and celebrating diverse ADHD experiences and advocating for a more inclusive, accessible, and equitable approach to mental health.
