Youth and young adults are becoming more and more susceptible to being manipulated into very extreme views online.  We are seeing an increase in groups like Incels, neo-Nazis, Proud Boys, tradwives, and similar groups that often target younger generations with the promise of understanding, connection, and making change.  Neurodivergent youth and young adults may be at higher risk for this exploitation.  In this training, we will review current research about online radicalization, common groups that neurodivergent youth may start to feel connected to, how to have conversations about what we take in through media, watching for signs of radicalization, and providing proactive education as well as responding to warning signs in effective ways.  The training is not meant to be political, but rather focus on how extreme groups may target neurodivergent youth, safety risks, and helping youth think critically about their media consumption.

Cost: $30

To register, please visit the Waisman COW website, and direct any questions regarding registration to contact information provided on the registration site:

https://cow.waisman.wisc.edu/event/but-they-get-me-countering-online-radicalization-of-neurodivergent-youth-and-adults-in-person-training/

Each Teen Talk Session will cover a different topic around healthy and safe relationships and sexuality. They can be funded by Dane County CLTS or private pay. All teen talks are virtual via Google Meet. Teen talks are for neurodivergent teens, ages 12-17.

Cycles of Abuse, Monday Dec 9: Recognizing unsafe behavior in any relationship, understanding how abuse happens, creating a safety plan for leaving an abusive relationship, identifying community resources for supporting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault

To register, complete this form

Cycles of Abuse, Tuesday December 3 4-5:30pm: Recognizing unsafe behavior in any relationship, understanding how abuse happens, creating a safety plan for leaving an abusive relationship, identifying community resources for supporting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups meet virtually via Google Meet, and are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register, complete this form

Each Teen Talk Session will cover a different topic around healthy and safe relationships and sexuality. They can be funded by Dane County CLTS or private pay. All teen talks are virtual via Google Meet. Teen talks are for neurodivergent teens, ages 12-17.

Break Ups and Mental Health, Monday Nov 18th: revisiting your relationship goals and values to identify whether or not a relationship is working for you, identifying barriers and struggles with ending relationships and how to overcome them, handling rejection and break ups

To register, complete this form

Break Ups, Monday November 11 4-5:30pm: revisiting your relationship goals and values to identify whether or not a relationship is working for you, identifying barriers and struggles with ending relationships and how to overcome them, handling rejection and break ups

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups meet virtually via Google Meet, and are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register, complete this form

Let's Talk About Sex, Monday October 28 4-5:30pm: Identifying male and female sexual anatomy, understanding pregnancy and STI risks, using safe sex protections, and discussing sexual boundaries with my partner

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups meet virtually via Google Meet, and are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register, complete this form

Each Teen Talk Session will cover a different topic around healthy and safe relationships and sexuality. They can be funded by Dane County CLTS or private pay. All teen talks are virtual via Google Meet. Teen talks are for neurodivergent teens, ages 12-17.

Social Media Safety, Monday Oct 21st: identifying pros and cons of using social media, recognizing red flags and scams online, understanding and dealing with cyberbullying and online sexual harassment

To register, complete this form

Social Media Safety, Tuesday October 15 4-5:30pm : identifying pros and cons of using social media, recognizing red flags and scams online, understanding and dealing with cyberbullying and online sexual harassment

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups meet virtually via Google Meet, and are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register, complete this form

Each Teen Talk Session will cover a different topic around healthy and safe relationships and sexuality. They can be funded by Dane County CLTS or private pay. All teen talks are virtual via Google Meet. Teen talks are for neurodivergent teens, ages 12-17.

Let's Talk About Sex, Monday Sept 30th: Identifying male and female sexual anatomy, understanding pregnancy and STI risks, using safe sex protections, and discussing sexual boundaries with my partner

To register, complete this form

Consent, Tuesday September 24 4-5:30pm : Identify yours and others rights in relationships, understand what consent truly looks and sounds like and why it's important, how to respond to and cope with rejection

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups meet virtually via Google Meet, and are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register, complete this form

Each Teen Talk Session will cover a different topic around healthy and safe relationships and sexuality. They can be funded by Dane County CLTS or private pay. All teen talks are virtual via Google Meet. Teen talks are for neurodivergent teens, ages 12-17.

Consent, Tuesday September 10th: Identify yours and others rights in relationships, understand what consent truly looks and sounds like and why it's important, how to respond to and cope with rejection

To register, complete this form

Online Dating 101, Monday Sept 9 4-5:30pm: How to identify online dating sites that coudl be useful, crafting the best profile, sending and receiving respectful messages, how to meet someone safely, and recognizing red flags online

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups meet virtually via Google Meet, and are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register, complete this form

Communication in Relationships, Monday August 19 4-5:30pm: Understanding neurodivergence and how it impacts my ability to communicate with and understand others, and identifying strategies that are going to work for me to communicate my feelings and needs

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

You can sign up for as many as you would like, based on whatever you are most interested in.  Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register complete this form

Workplace Relationships and Sexual Harassment, Tuesday August 13 4-5:30pm: understanding professional vs. personal relationships, identifying sexual harassment and how to report it, respecting boundaries in the workplace

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

You can sign up for as many as you would like, based on whatever you are most interested in.  Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register complete this form

Each Teen Talk Session will cover a different topic around healthy and safe relationships and sexuality. They can be funded by Dane County CLTS or private pay. All teen talks are virtual via Google Meet. Teen talks are for neurodivergent teens, ages 12-17.

The Power of Healthy Boundaries, Monday Aug 12: Understanding what can be hard about setting boundaries in relationships, identifying my own boundaries and how to communicate them, and recognizing when my boundaries are being crossed

To register, complete this form

Many caregivers exhibit symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from working with people who have experienced trauma themselves or witnessing that trauma as a caregiver.  In addition, it can be very difficult to manage these symptoms while also providing care for others and helping them to cope with their trauma symptoms.  We will take a deeper look at how trauma of someone we care about impacts our own nervous systems, how empathy fatigue (often referred to as compassion fatigue) can make it difficult to feel regulated and provide care and create useful plans and tools to address these symptoms so we can fully engage with the people we are caring for.  This class is ideal for anyone who provides care, whether it’s a family member or a social worker/direct care worker.

Cost: $30

This training is done in partnership with Waisman Community Outreach Wisconsin. Please direct any questions to mltruman@wisc.edu

Register at the COW website

The Power of Healthy Boundaries, Tuesday July 30 4-5:30pm : Understanding what can be hard about setting boundaries in relationships, identifying my own boundaries and how to communicate them, and recognizing when my boundaries are being crossed

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

You can sign up for as many as you would like, based on whatever you are most interested in.  Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register, complete this form

Each Teen Talk Session will cover a different topic around healthy and safe relationships and sexuality. They can be funded by Dane County CLTS or private pay. All teen talks are virtual via Google Meet. Teen talks are for neurodivergent teens, ages 12-17.

Neurodivergence and Relationships, Monday July 15th: Identifying my strengths and barriers when it comes to dating and friendships, understanding different types of relationships, what are my relationship goals, and what am I truly looking for in a relationship that will meet my needs?

To register, complete this form

Caregivers, whether paid or unpaid, have incredibly important roles in the lives of people with disabilities.  But it can be hard for many caregivers to show the same compassion to themselves as they do to the people they care for, and this is leading to more and more burnout.  This class will help caregivers identify their own needs and create plans for managing REAL, meaningful self-compassion and self-care that will enhance your relationships not just with yourself, but also with those you are caring for.  The class is ideal for anyone who provides care, whether it’s for a family member or as a professional or direct care worker, who wants to learn how to cope with the very valid struggles of being a caregiver.

This training is done in partnership with Waisman Community Outreach Wisconsin and all questions can be directed to mltruman@wisc.edu

Cost: $30

To register, please go to the COW website

Neurodivergence and Relationships, Monday June 24th 4-5:30pm : Identifying my strengths and barriers when it comes to dating and friendships, what are my relationship goals, and what am I truly looking for in a relationship that will meet my needs?

Each of these sessions focuses on different topics relating to neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, and safety.  The goal is to develop self-advocacy skills, support self-determination, exercise civil rights, and acquire skills needed to exercise control and responsibility over services and supports through educational conversations with a professional and peers. 

Funding must be approved before the group starts, and unfortunately we are not able to wait for a budget amendment if it is not approved in time, so please be sure to communicate with Heart and your IRIS consultant quickly to get budget amendment requests in on time.

These groups meet virtually via Google Meet, and are for neurodivergent adults, ages 18 and older, only.  If you do not have IRIS funding and would like to privately pay, please email ellenm@heartconsulting.org to discuss private pay rates (or any other questions)

To register, complete this form

Kids with disabilities are at higher risk of being victims of sexual abuse. One way to reduce this risk is by starting education about consent, body autonomy, and safe touch early.

This new class will work on these skills with neurodivergent kids, ages about 3-7, and their caregivers. It is open to any children with Dane County CLTS waiver funding, and will take place on May 20th, 4:30-5:30 at Monona Public Library.

To register, go to https://forms.gle/rq6rr44iUgWC8Ykm6

This group is for neurodivergent teens, ages 12-17, with Dane County CLTS funding.  It will be led by Heart's intern, Melody Hsu, and address the following topics:

-Watching for red flags online

-Dealing with cyberbullying

-Identifying and reporting harassment and abuse online

-Sexting, safety, and the law

It will be a one-time class on April 22, 4:30-5:30 on Google Meet.  Participants must be able to access the internet and Google meet link to participate.

To register, please complete the registration form

Digital Consent Rights for Youth with Disabilities (Part 2)

Online Dating, Sexting, and Porn, Oh My! Helping Neurodivergent Teens Connect Safely Online

Objectives:

1. Learn how to identify the needs behind the behavior, to increase understanding and empathy and respond effectively

2. Learn how to build trust with teens to increase safety

3. Identify risk factors and “red flags” of online behavior, to better be able to support and educate neurodivergent teens on these topics

4. Develop alternative strategies to behavioral modification in addressing risky online behavior

Free virtual event! To register, go to Great Lakes ROTA-RC website or directly to the Zoom registration link.

Using grant funding, we have created a group for neurodivergent adults and their caregivers to learn more about what a truly healthy, safe relationship looks and feels like.  We will be running a six week educational workshop for neurodivergent adults to learn about healthy relationships, while simultaneously running a group for paid and unpaid caregivers to learn how to better support these relationships.

Why not just focus on educating neurodivergent adults?  Education doesn't happen in a bubble, and we can't expect people to make changes and practice what they learn if their environments and supports are not reinforcing this information.  Each adult will be required to have at least one caregiver (parent, guardian, family member, respite provider, home staff, or other support person) attend a separate weekly training to learn what they can do to support healthy relationships and sexuality.

Neurodivergent group meets Mondays 4:30-5:30 on Google Meet starting March 11th, for six weeks.
Caregiver group meets Wednesdays 4:30-5:30 on Google Meet starting March 13, for six weeks.

Requirements:

• Neurodivergent adult, 18 and older, living in Wisconsin

• ND adult has Medicaid (this will not be billed, but is a requirement of our grant)

• 1-2 caregivers, paid or unpaid, who can attend all six caregiver trainings

• Access to Google Meet and internet connection

• Caregivers and ND adults will need to complete pre and post group questionaires, as a requirement of our grant funding

To register, please complete our registration form and we will reach out to you within 2 business days to confirm.  

Digital Consent Rights for Youth with Disabilities (Part 1)

Foundations of Healthy Relationships: Helping Neurodivergent Teens and Young Adults Connect Safely

Objectives

1. Better understand your own values and how people find meaningful connections

2. Identify strategies to help neurodivergent teens to develop their own relationship and sexuality goals

3. Develop alternative strategies to behavioral support plans, to better address underlying mental health needs around risky dating and sexual behavior, by better understanding what drives the decision making

Free virtual event! To register, go to the Great Lakes ROTA-RC website or directly to the Zoom registration page