NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Jan Fiderio at 603.283.2107

September 30, 2010 for Immediate Release

Free Talk on Updates and Changes in community discussion Treatment

A community discussion on new advances in assisting people with autism spectrum disorders

When: Tuesday, October 19 at 7 p.m.
Where: Antioch University New England, Community Room, 40 Avon Street, Keene, NH

Keene, NH - For the eleventh annual John Knight Colloquium, Antioch University New England will host a community discussion, titled Advances in Autism Treatment, on Tuesday, October 19 at 7:00 in the evening. Four expert panelists, with diverse professional experiences in the topic, will explore recent breakthroughs, innovations and changes in helping people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This event is free and open to the public.

Panelists are Shelley Viles, founder and director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate Program and the new Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate program at Antioch University New England; Dr. Larry Welkowitz, clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at Keene State College, who also teaches in Antioch University New England’ s Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate program; Barbara Bissonnette, a certified executive coach and principal of Forward Motion Coaching; and Christina Devereaux, assistant professor and director of clinical training in Antioch University New England’ s Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling program.

In recent years, there has been increased public awareness and acceptance of the need for accommodations for people with ASD. By sharing their professional and personal experiences, and inviting community perspectives, the members of the panel hope to inspire a dialogue about the latest developments to benefit people on the autism spectrum.

The speakers bring a wide range of backgrounds and expertise to the discussion. Barbara Bissonnette has more than two decades of professional experience in communication skills, pragmatic language, and nonverbal learning disorders. As the parent of an adult with Asperger’ s syndrome, Shelley Viles focuses on advocacy. Christina Devereaux’ s work as a dance therapist with children with autism informed her doctoral dissertation. Larry Welkowitz is co-author of two books: The Hidden Face of Shyness and Asperger’ s Syndrome: Intervening in Schools, Clinics and Communities.

Topics for discussion include new opportunities in the field due to impending autism insurance reform, and an examination of the recently published National Standards Report, a comprehensive analysis of ASD treatments, which identifies those proven most effective for children and adolescents. Drawing on his research at Montefiore Hospital in New York and his work in peer mentoring, Larry Welkowitz will address the widely debated issue in ASD treatment of pathology and change versus accommodation. Also explored will be dissertation research that focuses on the early interactive experiences between mothers and their infant children who were later diagnosed with autism, and that supports healthy attachment with mother/infant dyads.

The John Knight Colloquium is an annual, free event. Antioch University New England warmly invites the community to attend. Certificates of attendance will be available to educators and other professionals at no charge.

About the John Knight Colloquium
The John Knight Colloquium is sponsored by the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program of the Department of Applied Psychology, and is in memory of John Knight, a beloved person, gifted teacher and valued colleague. During his six years of teaching at Antioch New England Graduate School, John Knight demonstrated an unwavering commitment to community mental health and devoted much time to the community as a mediator, coalition builder and pastoral counselor. In the autumn of 1999, two years after his death from cancer, the Counseling Psychology Program of the Department of Applied Psychology established an annual colloquium in his memory.

The mission of this colloquium is to provide a forum to discuss issues of importance to the community that might not be aired in other formats. The colloquiums bring public attention to issues of emotional, social and political importance that are complex, sometimes controversial, and that people might need an opportunity to grapple with in an accepting and problem-solving format. In the last eleven years, the colloquium has presented panels on living with loss; the experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth in the Keene community; preventing violence against children; autism spectrum disorders; living with Alzheimer's; building socially just communities; aging well; and other topics.

About Antioch University New England (AUNE)
This is Antioch University New England's forty-sixth year as an institution of higher education. Located in Keene, New Hampshire, AUNE offers rigorous, practice-oriented, values-based master's, doctoral and certificate programs to more than one thousand students. Degrees in education, leadership and management, environmental studies and psychology reflect a dedication to activism, social justice, community service and sustainability. Antioch University New England is the oldest and largest of Antioch University's graduate campuses. For more information about Antioch University New England, visit our website at: www.antiochne.edu.

About Antioch University
Antioch University is a five-campus university located in four states. Each campus has its own distinct academic programs, community life and regional or national identity. Antioch University is founded on principles of rigorous liberal arts education, innovative experiential learning and socially engaged citizenship. The multiple campuses of the University nurture in their students the knowledge, skills and habits of reflection to excel as lifelong learners, democratic leaders and global citizens who live lives of meaning and purpose. For more information about Antioch University's campuses, its university-wide PhD program, or the Antioch Education Abroad program, www.antioch.edu

Last Updated: 12/4/10