Spring Webinar Series: Sexuality and Relationships

A FREE program hosted by the Organization for Autism Research

Learning about sexuality and relationships is a lifelong process, and knowing where to start can be challenging. Join OAR (Organization for Autism Research) this spring for four webinars that will explore the topics of sexuality, relationships, and social skills for autistic teens and adults.

About OAR’s Webinar Events

• Free registration
• Presentations followed by Q&A session
• Certificate of Attendance for live attendees
• Events recorded and archived

April 13, 12:00 pm – Preparing for “The Talk”: Ways to get ready to talk about sexuality, relationships, and identity 

Presented by Eileen Crehan, Ph.D.

The landscape of dating, relationships, and sexuality changes rapidly — and for those of us providing support or guidance in these areas, knowing where to begin can be daunting. Join Dr. Crehan, a licensed clinical psychologist and autism researcher, to build your comfort with discussing sexuality and relationship topics and to hear about current research. She will identify comfort zones for dating, relationships, and sexuality to promote positive, self-directed outcomes for autistic individuals. She will also use a positive framework to think about goals for attendee’s learning and share resources for additional learning.

April 20, 1:00 pm – Getting and Giving Consent: For people with autism

Presented by Katherine McLaughlin, M.Ed., AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator

How do we know when someone wants to do something with us? How do we make sure we are clear about what we want? Whether it is being in a person’s company or being sexual with another person, it takes both people to communicate clearly and to listen to the response. In this workshop, Katherine McLaughlin will explore what consent means, how to give consent, how to get consent, and ways to manage rejection.

April 27, 1:00 pm  – Friendship Development for Autistic Youth: Lessons from the UCLA PEERS® Clinic

Presented by Elizabeth Laugeson, Psy.D.

This interactive webinar will provide an engaging overview of an evidence-based intervention for neurodivergent adolescents and adults seeking to make and keep friends. Dr. Laugeson will highlight methods for teaching friendship and social skills utilized in the PEERS® intervention, including video demonstrations of targeted skills. Attendees will be given concrete strategies for friendship development and maintenance, along with tips for handling bullying and rejection.

May 11, 1:00 pm – A Guide to Interpersonal Communication and Conflict for Autistic Teens and Adults

Presented by Courtney Lang, Ph.D. and Liana Hicks

Interpersonal communication and relationship conflicts happen to us all. In this webinar, Liana Hicks and Courtney Lang will discuss interpersonal communication and relationship conflicts and how to guide autistic teens or adults through them. The two experts will present how to interact during arguments and how we can grow from arguments and misunderstandings. Lastly, they will share tips, tricks, and tactics to practice navigating interpersonal interactions in everyday scenarios.