Authentically Supporting Autistic Youth: Neurodiversity Affirming Practice by Kat Harhai

Authentically Supporting Autistic Youth is a 6-credit continuing course that encourages therapists and educators to deepen your existing understanding of neurodiversity, hone your equity lens, and learn how to put the principles of neurodiversity into practice in order to authentically support Autistic youth.

Kat Harhai (she/her) is a facilitator, educator, writer, neurodiversity advocate and proponent of disability justice. Her work is rooted in her own lived experience, and she is a big believer in the long-held disability justice mantra, “nothing about us without us”. 

This course explores foundations of neurodiversity, neurodiversity affirming practice, considerations for music therapy and music education, and includes extensive supplementary resources for continued learning. Above all, it provides a framework to support youth while simultaneously dismantling ableism.

Prerequisites: None! This course is designed for music therapists and music educators, but would also be appropriate for classroom teachers and other professionals.

Credits: 6 credits pre-approved by the Certification Board of Music Therapists. Music therapists, this course fulfills the ethics requirement. Music educators and other professionals receive a certificate for 6 professional development credits.

Price: $84 (Course is $20 OFF through August 22nd, 2023)

Course Access: One year of video access. Music therapists pursuing continuing education credit (CMTE) credit must complete the course within 90 days of purchase. 

Instructor Qualifications: 

Kat Harhai (she/her) is a facilitator, writer and educator working towards a neuroinclusive world that is anti-racist, trauma informed, and built by and for those most impacted by interlocking systems of oppression. As a neurodiversity advocate and proponent of disability justice, she is a big believer in the long-held disability justice mantra: “nothing about us without us”. Kat currently provides career consulting to neurodivergent employees and job seekers and Neurodiversity in the Workplace.

Course Format: This course is a pre-recorded video course that can be taken in your own time. If this course is taken within the first couple of months of the release, you’re invited to attend our Zoom Q&A Office Hour (more information below). If you’re unable to attend live, the video will be emailed out and the replay will also be included at the end of the course video playlist.

Course Outline

Section 1 - Introduction - 14:36

• Video 1 -  Course introduction - 14:36

Section 2 - Foundations of Neurodiversity - 1:06:39

• Video 2 - Language & introduction - 12:04

• Video 3 - Deficit model of disability - 19:59

• Video 4 - Alternatives to the deficit model - 3:55

• Video 5 - The Neurodiversity paradigm - 8:22

• Video 6 - Principles of neurodiversity affirming practice - 5:54

• Video 7 - Understanding neurodivergent needs - 16:25

Section 3 - Neurodiversity affirming practice - 1:36:41

• Video 8 - Validate diversity in social intelligence - 14:09

• Video 9 - Validate diversity in communication 8:36

• Video 10 - Ensure needs are met - 19:01

• Video 11 - Encourage exploration of passions - 5:08

• Video 12 - Accommodate capacity to limit burnout/crisis - 10:37

• Video 13 - Account for alexithymia and low IA - 8:29

• Video 14 - Routine, sameness, predictability and transitions 7:47

• Video 15 - Validate diversity in comprehension and expression of ideas - 6:22

• Video 16 - Support kids in cultivating self-acceptance - 7:58

• Video 17 - Support individuals while simultaneously dismantling ableism 8:34

Section 4 - Considerations for music therapy and music education - 42:12

• Video 18 - Considerations for neurodiversity affirming practice in a music therapy and education context. A conversation with Elyse Kochmanski, MT-BC and Cacia King, MM, MT-BC

Section 5 - Resources & continued learning - 23:17

• Video 19 - Resources & continued learning - 23:17

Section 6 - Live office hours - 75 minutes

• Video 20 - Recording of live office hours

Total course time: 5:18:25 (318 minutes)

Music therapists, this course is pre-approved by the Certification Board of Music Therapists (CBMT) for 6 continuing music therapy education (CMTE) credits! This course fulfills ethics requirements! Upon completion of the course and course evaluation, a certificate will be delivered via email within an hour. We are not able to grant partial credit. Please find the evaluation and additional instructions in the course PDF received after purchase. This is a simple process and we’re happy to help!

Board Certification Domains (In compliance with 2020 Board Certification Domains)

Objective 1:  Participants will identify an area of growth in their own neurodiversity affirming practice. (CBMT Domain V. A. 1.) 

Objective 2: Participants will identify an area where they may make assumptions or experience biases related to neurodiversity affirming practice. (CBMT Domain V. B. 11.)

Objective 3: Participants will explore neurodiversity affirming music therapy applications for clinical practice. (CBMT Domain II. D. 2. c.)

Materials Included: Video course, PDF with course worksheets and resources, one Zoom office hour, and access to private Facebook group for community support.