Parent Workshops and Customized Presentations

MGH Aspire now provides customized presentations and facilitated workshops to parents, SEPAC groups, community-based groups, and parent-teacher organizations throughout New England. Presentation topics include special education, autism spectrum disorder, neurodiversity, executive functioning, social communication, and stress management.

Presentations and Workshops: Neurodiversity - What is it? - Breaking down how to understand your child’s brain Social Competency - Assessing it, building it, practicing it Stress Management - Understanding what stress is and how it works (Strategies specific to different age groups) Disclosure - The process of helping your children understand who they are and any labels that may apply Transition Planning - It's never too early to start Executive Functioning - What it is and how to support it To learn more about how MGH Aspire can present at your upcoming event , contact us.

Elise Wulff, MEd , Program Manager, Child Services , has more than a decade of experience working with the neurodiverse population, their families, and pr ofessionals in both the public and private sectors. Elise oversees MGH Aspire programming for individuals ages 5-14 and related services, designing and writing engaging curricula with activities that help to teach and build skills through preferred interests and play. In collaboration with MGH Aspire, Elise co-wrote and taught a multi-year tiered self-awareness curriculum based on MGH Aspire’s model ‘The Science of Me.’ Elise also provides personalized parent coaching, school-based consultation, and professional development for providers. Elise received her undergraduate degree in psychology and theater arts from Emory University and her master’s degree in special education from Lesley University.

Leslie O’Brien, LICSW , Program Manager, MGH Aspire Works , developed and directs MGH Aspire Works and its employer training and consulting programs. In addition to individual consulting with supervisors and employees, her programs provide over 50 area employers with carefully matched neurodiverse interns and the mentoring that leads to success. Leslie facilitates corporate workshops such as neurodiverse hiring and interviewing practices, and feedback & performance evaluations for neurodiverse employees. In addition, O’Brien has over 10 years of clinical experience supporting children and adults to achieve educational and occupational success. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Human Development and Masters of Social Work from Binghamton University in Binghamton, NY.

Brett Mulder, PsyD , Director of Teen and Adult Programs at MGH Aspire and Clinical Instructor at Harvard Medical School, oversees year-round programming for teenagers and adults with high cognitive autism and related profiles. Dr. Mulder holds appointments as Psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and as Assistant in Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Mulder is the principal investigator on three longitudinal studies evaluating program outcomes for teen and adult programs at MGH Aspire. He provides consultation to school systems and conducts trainings and workshops throughout the year for employers, clinicians, and educators. At the Lurie Center of MGH, he sees children, teenagers and adults for individual psychotherapy.

MGH Aspire helps children, teens and adults with high cognitive autism spectrum disorder or a related profile achieve success. Our focus in on teaching and implementing our therapeutic "3S" model -- to improve every individual's self-awareness, social competence, and stress management.

MGH Aspire | www.mghaspire.org

‌ ‌ ‌