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On-Demand

"The World Needs All Kinds of Minds" and "Reclaiming Identity: Neurodivergence, Perception, & Social Constructs"

Temple Grandin Ph.D.
Tony Meiners, PsyD, The Neurodivergent Collective
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Information

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Educational Goal

The World Needs All Kinds of Minds: The educational goal of this workshop is to increase understanding of neurodiversity and the importance of recognizing and appreciating different types of thinkers to foster innovation and progress. Reclaiming Identity: Neurodivergence, Perception, & Social Constructs: The educational goal of this presentation is to expand clinicians’ understanding of neurodivergence and their ability to support neurodivergent clients effectively, through sensory-friendly, trauma-informed, and strengths-based interventions. Participants will leave with actionable tools to implement neurodivergent-affirming care, improving treatment outcomes across diverse clinical settings.

Description

The World Needs All Kinds of Minds:
Distinguished Professor Temple Grandin’s presentation, "The World Needs All Kinds of Minds," is a call to all professionals working with children, adolescents, young adults, and individuals with diverse cognitive styles. She will discuss her groundbreaking views on neurodiversity and the importance of recognizing and appreciating different types of thinkers to foster innovation and progress.

Dr. Grandin champions the concept of neurodiversity, advocating for the recognition and appreciation of diverse cognitive styles. She emphasizes that brains are wired differently, and this diversity is essential for innovation and progress. In her presentation, she will elaborate on the various types of thinkers: object visualizers, who think in pictures and excel in fields like design, engineering, and art; visual spatial thinkers, who excel in mathematics and music, seeing patterns and relationships; and verbal thinkers, who are strong in language and communication, excelling in writing, teaching, and public speaking. Dr. Grandin underscores that each cognitive style brings unique strengths essential for problem-solving and creativity.

Mentorship plays a critical role in helping individuals with unique cognitive styles navigate challenges and realize their potential. Dr. Grandin will share how mentors in her life, such as her high school science teacher and her supportive family, guided her to success. These mentors provided the guidance, motivation, and opportunities that were crucial for her development and achievements. She emphasizes the transformative power of mentors in nurturing and supporting individuals with diverse cognitive styles.

Dr. Grandin will also share her personal experience with autism, detailing her journey from having no speech until age four to becoming a successful scientist, author, and advocate. She will discuss overcoming challenges such as extreme anxiety and sensory oversensitivity and highlight the importance of practical work experiences in easing the transition from academic study to employment. Her story illustrates the potential for individuals with autism to lead successful and fulfilling careers with the right support and opportunities.

In her critique of standardized education systems, Dr. Grandin will highlight how these systems often screen out visual thinkers and fail to nurture diverse cognitive strengths. She will discuss the implications of neglecting these strengths in education and career development and advocate for a more inclusive approach that recognizes and cultivates the unique abilities of all students. Dr. Grandin’s insights encourage a more supportive and innovative educational environment that benefits not just individuals with diverse minds but society as a whole.

Reclaiming Identity: Neurodivergence, Perception, & Social Constructs:
This presentation focuses on neurodivergent-affirming care for ADHD and autistic adults, emphasizing identity development and the negative impact of pathologizing on mental health for neurodivergent (ND) adults. The speaker, an experienced clinical psychologist and clinical director, discusses how affirming approaches improve outcomes by fostering supportive, ND-informed care. Practical strategies for reducing pathologizing narratives and focusing on strengths are shared, highlighting ways to enhance therapeutic relationships and treatment effectiveness. The session offers actionable insights for improving outcomes through affirming, personalized care for neurodivergent individuals.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Temple Grandin Ph.D.
Dr. Grandin did not talk until she was three and a half years old. She was fortunate to get early speech therapy. Her teachers also taught her how to wait and take turns when playing board games. She was mainstreamed into a normal kindergarten at age five. Oliver Sacks wrote in the forward of Thinking in Pictures that her first book Emergence: Labeled Autistic was “unprecedented because there had never before been an inside narrative of autism.” Dr. Sacks profiled Dr. Grandin in his best selling book Anthropologist on Mars. Dr. Grandin became a prominent author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior. Today she is a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. She also has a successful career consulting on both livestock handling equipment design and animal welfare. She has been featured on NPR (National Public Radio) and a BBC Special – “The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow”. She has also appeared on National TV shows such as Larry King Live, 20/20, Sixty Minutes, Fox and Friends, and she has a 2010 TED talk. Articles about Dr. Grandin have appeared in Time Magazine, New York Times, Discover Magazine, Forbes and USA Today. HBO made an Emmy Award winning movie about her life and she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016. When she was young, she was considered weird and teased and bullied in high school. The only place she had friends was activities where there was a shared interest such as horses, electronics, or model rockets. Mr. Carlock, her science teacher, was an important mentor who encouraged her interest in science. When she had a new goal of becoming a scientist, she had a reason for studying. Today half the cattle in the United States are handled in facilities she has designed.
Tony Meiners, PsyD, The Neurodivergent Collective
Dr. Tony Meiners is a licensed clinical psychologist who has spent the last decade of his career working in residential, PHP, IOP, and outpatient levels of care. He brings a holistic treatment methodology to The Neurodivergent Collective to promote an integrative approach in treating mental health conditions. As the Clinical Director, Dr. Meiners utilizes his neurodivergent-specific training in conjunction with knowledge of neurobiological and cognitive treatment modalities to help heal clients. On his philosophy at The Neurodivergent Collective, Dr. Meiners says, “At the heart of neurodivergent-affirming treatment is the celebration of cognitive and neurological diversity as a natural and valuable aspect of human variation. This perspective acknowledges that conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurological differences are not merely deficits but unique ways of experiencing and interacting with the world. Embracing neurodivergence means recognizing the strengths, talents, and perspectives that come with these differences and fostering an environment that supports and validates them.” Dr. Meiners received his Bachelor’s in Psychology from Maryville University; his Masters of Social Work, with an Adult Mental Health and Wellness concentration, from University of Southern California; and his Doctor of Applied Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. His area of specialty is bottom-up and top-down conjunctive treatment by combining somatic and/or experiential based interventions with post-modern cognitive therapeutic modalities. His work centers around identity development for individuals that exist in constructs outside societal expectations. In addition, queer-affirming and neurodivergent-affirming approaches to the treatment of trauma are his current areas of focus and treatment.

Financially Sponsored By

  • High Watch Recovery Center