Wenn Lawson, PhD

Dr. Wenn is an autistic researcher (PDAer), has 3 autistic offspring and 3 autistic granddaughters. Wenn is also a lecturer, psychologist, advocate, and poet, sharing his experiences for almost 3 decades. Wenn is published internationally, is an Associate Researcher with Curtin University (WA), and Macquarie University, NSW; Tutor Practitioner with Birmingham University (UK), a Board member for Autism in Adulthood, and the Australian Research Council, Ambassador for I CAN (Autistic Youth Advocacy), and has a YouTube channel and home page. In 2008, he won 4th place as Victorian Australian of the Year, in 2017 he presented to the United Nations on matters of Autism and ageing & in 2021 he won the Lesley Hall, disability leadership lifetime achievement award. Wenn is passionate about all things LGBTQIA+ and autism. www.wennlawson.com.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Wenn Lawson maintains a private practice and receives royalties as a published author. He receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Wenn Lawson is a member of the Australian Autism Research Council (ACRC).  Although a registered certified psychologist with the British Psychological Society since 2012, Wenn is not registered to practice as a psychologist in Australia.

Sean Inderbitzen, DSW, LCSW

DBA Inderbitzen Consulting Services LLC

Sean Inderbitzen, DSW, LCSW, an autistic psychotherapist and researcher through Mayo Clinic Health System. He regularly trains healthcare professionals to be more confident when working with people on the spectrum. He is coauthor, along with Stephen Porges, of Autism in Polyvagal Terms: New Possibilities and Interventions, part of W.W. Norton’s Interpersonal Neurobiology Series.
 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Sean Inderbitzen has employment relationships with Northlakes Community Clinic and Inderbitzen Consulting Services, LLC. He receives royalties as a published author. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Sean Inderbitzen has a professional relationship with Dr. Stephen Porges, Barry Prizant, and Pat Ogden.

Dr. Aditi Mehra

Dr. Aditi Mehra, is a pediatric occupational therapist with a Doctorate in health sciences who is leaving an indelible impact across diverse therapeutic settings. Dr. Mehra serves as adjunct professor at Lewis University and is the director at the esteemed Chicago Fit Learning Lab. Dr. Mehra has over 25 years of experience working with children and teens with ASD, ADHD, learning disorders, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. She is passionate about improving trauma-informed care and cultural competency across therapeutic settings. In addition to her work as an occupational therapist, Dr. Mehra holds a certification in behavior analysis and has obtained certificates in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Trauma-Focused ACT. She provides continuing education presentations for various allied health groups in her community and across the nation.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Aditi Mehra has an employment relationship with Northern Illinois Association and receives compensation as a continuing education content creator and presenter. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Aditi Mehra has no non-financial relationships.

Laura Sibbald, MA, CCC-SLP, ASDCS, CYMHS

Laura K. Sibbald, MA, CCC-SLP, ASDCS, CYMHS, is a nationally-certified speech-language pathologist who has extensive experience supporting the social-emotional and pragmatic language needs of students and families within the Washington, DC, metropolitan region. She works as an instructional specialist for students with autism in Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland and has developed and implemented a variety of professional learning opportunities surrounding social-emotional competence at the state and national level.

Laura is a coauthor of the Trauma-Informed Social-Emotional Toolbox for Children & Adolescents: 116 Worksheets & Skill-Building Exercises to Support Safety, Connection & Empowerment (PESI, 2020) and the Parenting Toolbox: 125 Activities Therapies Use to Reduce Meltdowns, Increase Positive Behaviors & Manage Emotions (PESI, 2018). Both workbooks provide practical strategies that can easily transfer into clinical and educational professional practices. Most recently, Laura was a guest speaker and moderator at PESI's 2021 Autism Symposium, where she discussed Navigating Autism through a Trauma Informed Lens. Laura also had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Temple Grandin in the key note Different... Not Less. Laura was an expert panelist for the 2020 Parenting Autism Summit, sponsored by The Behavior Revolution, LLP., and is certified as an Autism Spectrum disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS). She is a member of the multicultural affairs committee of the Maryland Speech-Language and Hearing Association, focusing on the promotion of equity practices n diverse communicators. To further support growth and achievement of children with disabilities, Laura earned additional certifications as a Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) Certified Educator and in Educational Leadership and supervision. She graduated from The George Washington University in 2011 with a Master's in speech-language pathology.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Laura Sibbald is the founder and CEO of ND SLP Advocate, LLC., and has an employment relationship with Chestnut Hill College. She receives royalties as a published author. Laura Sibbald receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Laura Sibbald serves on the advisory board for Shrub Oak International School.

Sandra Paulsen, PhD

Paulsen Integrative Psychology

Sandra Paulsen, PhD, is an international instructor, author and illustrator of principles and procedures for using EMDR with complex trauma including structural and somatic dissociation and trauma held in implicit memory. She has published widely on the combination of EMDR with ego state therapy, somatic methods and early developmental repair strategies. Her books include coediting The Neurobiology and Treatment of Traumatic Dissociation: Toward an Embodied Self, with Ulrich Lanius and Frank Corrigan. She wrote and illustrated Looking Through the Eyes of Trauma: An Illustrated Guide for EMDR Therapists and Clients, as well as When There Are No Words: EMDR for Very Early Trauma in Implicit Memory. She coauthored and illustrated a children’s book that is also very useful for dissociative adults called All the Colors of Me: My First Book on Dissociation, with Ana Gomez.

Sandra is a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. She developed the first protocol for the use of EMDR with highly dissociative individuals, publishing cautions about EMDR with dissociation, and for first urging the screening of every client for dissociation before administering EMDR. She has trained hundreds of mental health professionals in these special procedures since 1993. 
 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Sandra Paulsen has employment relationships with Paulsen Integrative Psychology, PLLC, Paulsen Consulting Resources, and Steve Frankel Group. She received a speaking honorarium from Alpha-Stim. Dr. Paulsen receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations have been mitigated.
Non-financial: Dr. Sandra Paulsen is a fellow of the International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation and is a member of the EMDR International Association. She is an advocate for EMDR for trauma treatment.