Program

Dr. Jonathan Weiss, Ph.D.

Dr. Weiss is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University, and a Clinical Psychologist. His research focuses on mental health in autistic people or people with intellectual disabilities across the lifespan.

He conducts studies into how people with developmental disabilities access mental health care, and is interested in their service needs, use, and experiences. His work is also focused on understanding and supporting family wellness when at least one family member has a developmental disability. He is interested in program development and evaluation, and in particular on the impact of Special Olympics on the psychological well-being of participants, and of psychosocial interventions to promote resilience and improve the mental health of children and adults with developmental disabilities. 

Sessions

Supporting Autistic Flourishing: Individual and Contextual Considerations 
Wednesday October 30th, 2024 @ 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

There has been considerable work on addressing mental health challenges in autistic people, and far less in considering what is required so that autistic people can flourish, which is not simply the absence of challenges. Flourishing involves the experience of emotional, psychological and social well-being. We all deserve the thrive, and it is important to explicitly identify positive outcomes as targets for autistic supports. The current talk will define flourishing, provide examples of ways of measuring it, and highlight the kinds of supports that should be considered to move autistic young people and adults from languishing to this positive outcome.  

 

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