In this fun and exciting episode of the Approaches to Autism Series, Rob Bernstein, Stephen Shore, and Marlo Thurman will be joined by Elaine Hall, who is a pioneer in the use of the dramatic arts to enhance the quality of life for individuals on the autism spectrum.

Dr. Marcia Eckerd shares her method for diagnosing autism in women and discusses why masking, stereotypes, and traditional assessment methods all have prevented many female teens and adult women from receiving proper diagnosis.

In this session Dr. Rachelle Sheely, President and Co-Founder of RDI Connect details the core foundations and principles of the RDI method and shares her unique perspective on using poetry to build understanding and relationship between parents and their children.

Robert J. Bernstein, US Autism Association Advisory Board member, discusses his Bernstein Cognitive Method for Autism with Dr. Stephen Shore and Dr. Marcia Eckerd, moderated by Dr. Marlo Thurman. The goal of this developmental cognitive approach is to help individuals be able to live in the world and connect with the people in it as themselves.

This session will explore what is known through research about the way the Gut, Brain, and Nervous System are all working together at all times, nourishing and informing each other in real time.

Music Therapist and Founder and CEO of Voices Together Yasmine White shares key elements of her proprietary Voices Together music therapy model, which has gained approval and funding by multiple North Carolina Public School Systems, the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the North Carolina State Department of Health and Human Services as an approved and evidence-based treatment program for learners across the autism spectrum.

In this fun and interactive discussion with Alexander Landa, father of an autistic son, CEO, and co-founder of the Akiva Virtual Reality world, he shares his own story and the story of Akiva to give new hope to parents who have struggled within other modalities with achieving educational and therapeutic gains for their children.

In this follow-up session detailing her research in autism, Dr. Valerie Hu discusses the role that various endocrine disrupting chemicals can play in at least one of the primary autism subtypes.

Join us for an insightful discussion on neurodiversity and the arts, including savantism. Dr. Laurence Becker, cinematographer Ron Zimmerman, and Dr. Michael McManmon join Dr. Marlo Thurman to explore the power of neurodiversity in the arts as they discuss nurturing creativity and talent.

In this session on music and its effects for those on the autism spectrum, Jacqueline Birnbaum, music therapist and expert on the ways that music enhances the lives of individuals with disabilities, shares her professional experiences and insights.

Jacqueline Birnbaum, a Board-Certified Music Therapist, Administrative Coordinator and a Senior Therapist at the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy at New York University, and Dr. Jeanne Eichler, Occupational Therapist, Music Therapist, and Assistant Research Professor at the University of Arkansas, detail various aspects of music therapy and its usefulness for all ages.

In this remarkable interview, Dr. Laurence Becker is joined by cinematographer Ron Zimmerman for an inside look into the film Fierce Love and Art. The film, narrated by Dr. Temple Grandin, shares the stories of 9 world-famous artists, who had the support of “fierce love” parents who didn’t give up on helping them to find their hidden talents.