‘Autism lifelines: Self-care, resilience and anxiety management’

Ebony Birch-Hanger is a well-known speaker in the education, disability and advocacy fields in addition to consulting at school, local council and government levels. She is a qualified Special Education Teacher and Teacher of the Deaf who has worked primarily as a Neurodevelopmental Therapist, Educational Consultant and Music Specialist, supporting individuals with a variety of additional needs and medical conditions, in both school and home settings. With more than a decade of professional experience in education and neurological systems, Ebony provides deep and compassionate knowledge of this growing area. Ebony’s presentation will provide the added bonus of information that comes directly from her personal, lived experience as an Autistic individual with a diagnosed Anxiety Disorder. Ebony is a notable speaker at the International level and has also presented at several National and State conferences in Australia. She regularly presents teacher Professional Development and parent workshops on topics related to neurological diversity.

In this presentation, Ebony will enlighten attendees with her personal experience of navigating stressful and overwhelming life events as an Autistic individual with an Anxiety Disorder. You will hear Ebony’s own definition of, and approach towards, resilience, along with strategies to cultivate this in individuals for whom traditional psychological strategies may not be of benefit. Ebony will paint a picture of the effects anxiety can have, including strategies to support individuals during times of high anxiety. A unique opportunity to gain an ‘insider’s view’ of the challenges in maintaining positive mental health and the vital importance of developing positive self-care during the childhood and teenage years.