(HS Siegle, Morgan, Onaiwu 150361 2025) Autism & Trauma
Tracking # 20-1325437
Course overview
LInks between autism and trauma are increasingly recognized (Lobregt-van Buuren, Hoekert, and Sizoo 2021; Morgan and Donahue 2020; Elliott 2021). Autism is associated with increased exposure to trauma (McDonnell et al. 2019), particularly bullying and social isolation, due to social features of the condition, as well as increased effects of these exposures due to associated features of how autistic people process emotional information (Hoover 2015; Haruvi-Lamdan et al. 2020). Thus, there is considerable overlap of symptoms, behavioral, and neural mechanisms between these conditions (Haruvi-Lamdan et al. 2018). For example, we have shown that neural systems affected in autism (Mazefsky et al. 2020) as well as physiological reactivity (Gotham et al. 2018) strongly overlap in nature and their time-course of reactivity with those affected in PTSD and related conditions. Interventions for trauma may thus need to be adapted for this population (Peterson et al. 2019). PTSD and autism may also be cross-diagnosed (Al-Attar and Worthington 2024), or the diagnosis of one condition may be missed in people with the other (Hume and Burgess 2021). This workshop will thus introduce attendees to the intersection of trauma and autism from the perspectives of neuroscience, lived social experiences, and potential intervention. Presenters will include Greg Siegle (neuroscientist; research programs in brain imaging of trauma and autism), Lisa Morgan (author, Living with PTSD on the Autism Spectrum), and Morénike Giwa Onaiwu (autism advocate and educator specializing in chronic stresses of intersectionality)
Subject areas
This course counts toward the state boards and subject areas below.
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling
Certified Master Social Worker
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Florida Board of Psychology
Limited License Psychologist
Psychologist
Disclosure statements
Financial: Greg Siegle has employment relationships with University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, the University of Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Mellon University, the Pittsburgh Mind Body Center, and the Clinical Translational Science Institute. He receives grants from NIMH and NIDA. Greg Siegle receives royalties from Apollo Neuroscience. He receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc.
Non-financial: Greg Siegle is a fellow with the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and a member of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, the Society for Neuroscience, the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, the Society of Biological Psychiatry, the Society for Affective Science, and the Association for Psychological Science. He is an Ad hoc reviewer for several peer review journals, for a complete list contact PESI, Inc.
Financial: Lisa Morgan has an employment relationship with AASET-SP and Lisa Morgan Consulting, LLC. She receives royalties as a published author. Lisa Morgan receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Lisa Morgan has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Financial: Morenike Onaiwu is the founder of Advocacy Without Boarders and has employment relationships with Drexel University and the US Department of Health and Human Services. She receives royalties as a published author. Morenike Onaiwu receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Morenike Onaiwu has no relevant non-financial relationships.