This is the third of our free-Webinar series titled “Diversity” in 2023. We invite you to join us for a 90-minute exploration of the fascinating world of Neurodiversity. With the guidance of our three knowledgeable and experienced speakers, we will delve into the nuances of Neurodivergence, examining its perception, influence, and inclusion within our community and beyond.

 

Historically, this intriguing domain has been largely overlooked in TA, yet it now emerges as an expanding sphere of comprehension and awareness. As professionals, it is important that we not only grasp that some of us are neurodivergent but also empathize with the significant portion of our neurodivergent clientele. We would like to thank Felizitas, Ovidiu and Cathie for their willingness to share their thoughts and experience with us.

 

Disclaimer to some of the changes. The idea of “tendencies” can be problematic considering that each person has their own neurotype, and some are just a neurominority in a neuromajority. The fact in this discussion being that people are neurodivergent and not “with tendencies”.

 

Our aim is to offer simultaneous translation into French, Russian, Italian and Ukraine. These events will not be recorded.

 

 

 

Our three esteemed speakers are:

 

Felizitas Lichtenberg is SumUp’s Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion with almost 15 years of proven experience. She has a strong passion for Diversity & Inclusion and Sustainability, with global and local market expertise and business acumen coming from a marketing background. She is enthusiastic about approaching challenges and opportunities to improve business performance and give back to people and the planet. Felizitas has studied and lived in Germany, USA, UK and France. She is a cross-cultural business trainer, organizational change manager and systemic transactional analysis consultant.

 

Ovidiu Platon, an autistic person, passionately champions the rights of autistic people, while also serving as a guide for the harmonious integration of body and mind. As an aspiring psychotherapist specializing in Transactional Analysis and Dance & Movement Psychotherapy, Ovidiu has founded and presides over the self-advocacy organisation “suntAutist – Autism explained by autistic people” in Romania.

In the dual roles of Body-Mind Guide using Transactional Analysis and Autistic Advocate, Ovidiu is on a continual journey of growth and evolution. Life’s lessons have illuminated the importance of embracing vulnerability and releasing fear as crucial steps toward achieving complete well-being. Ovidiu is dedicated to empowering others to navigate their personal journeys, providing support and guidance at every turn. By working together, we can transform fear into freedom and uncover the radiant path that lies ahead.

 

Cathie Long is a multi-award winning, independent social worker, expert witness, trainer, and writer. Cathie supervises and mentors independent and local authority social workers. She works primarily with ‘disabled’ children/young people and their families to secure appropriate Education, Health and Care Plans, ensuring delivery of a person-centred, needs-led social care provision. Cathie is also regularly instructed as an expert witness for the Court of Protection, providing high quality capacity assessments and making important best interests decisions. She is the social care advisor to the PDA Society and a partner with Sunshine Support. Cathie has recently produced a training video for doctors and other healthcare practitioners on Autistic Older Adults, funded by Health Education NHS England.

 

With an MA in Autism, Cathie decided to train in Transactional Analysis to enhance both her professional and personal development. She is now in her final clinical year at The Wyvern Institute in Chipping Sodbury, training in psychotherapy. Following her own diagnoses of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity ‘disorder’ (ADHD) in her mid-fifties, Cathie works as a psychotherapist in advanced clinical training with neurodivergent people with later-in-life diagnoses. She is trained in Functional Fluency which she uses to coach people who want to understand themselves better, and to make relational changes, thus enhancing their autonomy and sense of well-being.

Cathie lives in West Wales. She has four children, two of whom are neurodivergent. She enjoys sea swimming, walking on the beach, writing, and evolving into being her fun-loving, uniquely quirky self.

 

Cathie has recently been awarded ‘Most Innovative Mental Health-Focused Social Worker (Wales)’ and she is a finalist in the Social Care Wales ‘Effective leadership award’ in the 2023 Accolades.

 

Publications:

Community Care. (2017, May 15). Pathological demand avoidance: what it is and why do social workers need to know? Retrieved from Community Care : https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2019/05/15/pathological-demand-avoidance-social-workers-need-know/

 

The Transactional Analyst. (2021). Autism and Trauma: a personal perspective. The Transactional Analyst, 20-21.

 

Gullon-Scott, F. & Long, C. (2022). FII and Perplexing Presentations: What is the Evidence Base for and against Current Guidelines, and What are the Implications for Social Services? British Journal of Social Work, 1-17.

 

BASW, Fabricated or Induced Illness and Perplexing Presentations – Practice Guidance for Social Work Practitioners, Long et. al. 2022.