Dissociation in Autistic and ADHD Clients: Making Sense of Survival

In this webinar, Liam Spicer will provide an overview of the mental health rates, challenges, and experiences of Autistic and ADHD clients. There will be a discussion on recent research regarding dissociation in Autistic and ADHD clients, and certain factors associated with increased dissociation in these clients. The session will also focus on how to assess for dissociation in Autistic and ADHD clients, taking into consideration individual differences and the complexity of their background and current experiences including discussion of areas such as the Social Model of Disability, The Minority Stress Model and Intersectionality. There will be a discussion around the key criteria and components of Dissociative Disorders such as DID, including understanding of symptoms such as depersonalisation, derealisation, and dissociative amnesia and ways to assess for this. There will be a focus on other simple assessment strategies and tools to understand dissociation, and key information to provide to clients to normalise this survival response and include it within your therapeutic work. Lastly, frameworks for understanding dissociation such as Polyvagal Theory, Structural Dissociation, and other parts-based models will be discussed, with references to adaptations needed for Autistic/ADHD clients.

Liam Spicer is a AuDHD Psychologist, Academic and Researcher based in Tasmania, Australia. He is an EMDR Consultant and Training Facilitator, and works in private practice with children, adolescents, and adults. Liam is actively involved in both training and research in the areas of trauma, grief, suicide, alexithymia, neurodivergence, EMDR, and schema therapy. He has recently contributed to the International Handbook of Child and Adolescent Grief, and the ISST bulletin in addition to peer reviewed journal articles. Liam’s current PHD at Curtin University, Perth is in the area of Prolonged Grief, and he has presented nationally and internationally on the topic of EMDR including at the EMDR Asia Conference, EMDRAA Conference, and other various national and local events. Liam is also scheduled to present at the International Schema Therapy Conference in Poland in 2024 on the topic of integrating EMDR and Schema Therapy with Autistic and ADHD clients through an affirming lens. Liam currently holds a position at the University of Tasmania teaching clinical psychology skills to students and has a passion for learning and teaching.