Autistic mental health - anxiety and trauma

Autistic mental health is in crisis and this does not exclude the children in our community unfortunately. Often signs or expressions of anxiety are put down to “autism”. In this session Evaleen Whelton from AUsome Training will explain signs of anxiety, sources of anxiety, expressions of trauma and how we can take a more trauma-informed approach to our Autistic pupils.

Topics include:
● Identifying anxiety expressions
● Understanding Anxiety responses
● The anxiety cycle
● PTSD and cPTSD
● Co-regulation

BIO 

Evaleen Whelton is founder of Ireland's Autistic-led training provider AUsome Training. She has worked with kids and teens for over 20 years. In her work as a speech and drama teacher, Evaleen has always been interested in building esteem and supporting kids to be themselves. 

Since making the discovery that she herself is Autistic in 2014, she has focused her passion and attention on supporting Autistic kids and young people to be the very best versions of themselves and to be themselves unapologetically. 

Her work centres the rights and dignity of Autistics and she has a deep understanding of the issues that face young Autistics in their social world and much of the work she does is to break down these social barriers for Autistics young and old.

Her work is driven by her vision of the world.  A world where everyone is valued and treated with respect and dignity.  A world where Autistic kids are not pathologised and our ways are better understood, accepted and celebrated.