Autism Across the Lifespan: Adolescence

Presented by Kate McNulty, LCSW and Matt Lowry, LPP

Friday, May 1, 2026

10am-12pm PT / 12pm-2pm CT / 1pm-3pm ET

Event held online via Zoom, link to access provided upon registration.

The maturing brain progresses the child’s cognitive abilities toward Piaget’s formal operational stage in adolescence, with new capacities for deductive reasoning, abstract thought, future planning and nuance in humor. The young person possesses an increased ability to self-reflect and regard themselves as having an individual identity. They are shifting from family membership to peer identification (Pakpahan, 2022). Autistic teens often diverge further from age peers due to offbeat recreational pursuits, prolonged interest in childhood hobbies and media, as well as the effects of social rejection (Chen, 2021). As Autistic adolescents increase their awareness of the wider world, they are likely to experience greater anxiety about safety, their future and what adulthood will require of them than non-Autistic teens (Hollocks, 2024). For some, their capability for moral reasoning exceeds that of classmates, resulting in intellectual loneliness. With positive influences and the guided participation described in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1991), adolescents can make sense of the world and their place in it. 

This program will discuss adolescent development in clients with Autism. We will explore the need for increased intervention based upon specific individual characteristics including clients with Autism who are within expected behavioral ranges for their neurotype. Additionally, participants will spend time learning the clinical indicators of anxiety and aggression, and the methods of recognizing unusual levels and contributors when working with adolescent clients with Autism. 

Zoom link will be available on course page in “My Courses” upon event registration. 

This program, when attended in its entirety, offers 2.0 CEs for Psychologists, 2.0 IL CEUs for Counselors and Social Workers, 2.0 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSWs, and LMFTs, or 2.0 NBCC Clock Hours.

Price: $50.00 

Register Link:  https://tcsppofficeofce.com/product/autism-across-the-lifespan-adolescence/