ABLE2’s Build Community program is a collaborative process that aims to create a safe, meaningful and fulfilling life for the person with a disability where they can be active members of their communities.

We are a new local autism therapy centre that provides one on one support for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The CORE Learning Centre is driven by the belief that each child is unique and as such, their therapy should reflect that. From individualized programs, reinforcers and therapist teams – everything we do is centred around providing an inclusive and compassionate environment for all our clients. Our highly trained team, led by an accredited Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, implements programs using applied behaviour analysis (ABA) techniques to give each client the tools to grow.

View the CORE Website

Move Your Mind Counselling has launched equine assisted psychotherapy in the Stittsville area. Psychotherapist Heather Sansom, PhD, works with higher functioning youth and adults on the spectrum (and ADHD). Additional to remote video sessions, she offers nature and animal based experiential therapy. These can be an alternative and engaging way for clients to explore and develop their strengths, while enhancing coping skills for stress, anxiety, and other concerns.  She has degrees and credentials in psychotherapy, recreation therapy, and equine instruction with experience working with youth and adults on the spectrum in recreation therapy and psychotherapy.

For more information, please visit their website at www.moveyourmind.ca

To access COVID resources from CAMH and H-CARDD:
www.hcarddcovid.com/info.

To access videos mentioned during the keynote presentation:

• From victims to advocates: People with developmental disabilities are changing the health-care system:
  https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/from-victims-to-advocates-people-with-developmental-disabilities-are-changing-the-health-care-system-1.5360851
• Better Practice, Better Health: Listening and learning from patients and families
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gRmdbEe65c&list=PLNuPQneaGMwCgYIDHdawgSQQA9AYoe8hx&index=1&t=4s

More resources:

• Family Matters Toolkit offers tools and resources for family caregivers; this page of the toolkit offers a list of resources available to families and self-advocates:
  https://familymatters.ddtoolkits.com/resources.html
• Sibling study, “Exploring the experiences of siblings of adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities during the COVID‐19 pandemic”. More information for adult sibs can be found at:
  www.sibcollab.ca
• A Family Guide to Dual Diagnosis (this guide written pre-covid but may have some helpful information):
  https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/guides-and-publications/dual-diagnosis-guide-en.pdf
• It’s national caregivers month! Ottawa resident Donna Thomson wrote this piece last week:
  https://www.donnathomson.com/

Invitation to a mindfulness group for autistic adults and their caregivers
Some of you seemed to enjoy the mindfulness activity. CAMH are offering a mindfulness group for autistic adults and their caregivers group starting November 14th (there are still a few spots). You can find more information about this group and other mindfulness groups for families, and for people with disabilities, by emailing us at mindfulness.research@camh.ca.