Apply to participate by Monday, November 8 at 11:59pm Pacific. Only 25 seats available!
A 10-Week Small Group Program for Caregivers of Autistic Children and Adolescents via Zoom
Wednesdays, January 5 to March 9, 2022, 6:30 to 8:00 pm Pacific.
This will be an accepting, non-judgmental group dedicated to building the emotional resilience of parents caring for autistic children and adolescents, ages 19 and under. Participation in this group will teach skills to help you recharge your emotional and physical reservoir, cope with stress effectively, improve your caregiving relationship and build associated skills in your child.
This small group program is limited to 25 residents of British Columbia. There is no cost, but a bursary application is required. Due to the research selection criteria, we ask that professionals who work in the caring professions not apply, even if they are also parents of autistic children and adolescents.
An Opportunity to Engage in Research
This is the third time that ACT has sponsored this program in collaboration with researchers at the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Lab at Simon Fraser University. Preliminary results from the 10-session programs held earlier this year showed that participants found this program helpful in supporting their own mental health and allowing them to engage more positively in facing parenting challenges. This is also an opportunity for participants to contribute to research into how parents of autistic children can be better supported in their own skill development. This is the final time ACT will be funding this group and research. Applicants will be asked to complete questionnaires both pre and post program.
Course Description
Mindful Compassionate Caregiving is a 10-week course that combines empirically based practices from Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), along with research that supports caregiver and family wellbeing. The program consists of one mandatory 'introductory' session on December 15, 2021, and 10 weekly group sessions beginning January 5. This is a skill development program. In order to fully benefit, participants will be expected to be free of childcare or work obligations during the 90 minute sessions, and committed to engage in home practice during the week for at least 15-20 minutes a day.
For those who devote their lives to caring for others, this is an opportunity for you to dedicate some time to important self care, learning how to treat yourself with kindness, and soothe any ragged emotions during difficult times. You will learn self-compassion practices that can help combat compassion fatigue when coping with the demands of caregiving. The stress reduction component will help you learn how to identify reactive patterns and respond to your own needs and the needs of those you care for more effectively. Caregivers will learn tools to help them manage stress, model compassion and kindness, and listen deeply to better support the needs of their children and family.
Attend this program where you will learn how to:
Activate your soothing system and regulate feelings of threat, worry and self-criticism.
Recognize your stress patterns and respond more skillfully to situations involving yourself and those you care for.
Attend to the needs of those you care for with kindness, patience, and wisdom.
Increase the emotional strength, well being and problem-solving abilities of those you care for.
Create healthier and more productive relationships between family members.
Learn how to self-regulate and model adaptive responses to stress which may translate to better co-regulation with your child during difficult times.
To learn more about this program, please send your questions to info@actcommunity.ca, or visit the Mindful Self Compassion for Life website.
Apply to Participate
This program usually has a $500 registration fee, but ACT is providing full bursaries for 25 applicants to attend for free to assess if an online program such as this can support the health and well being of the caregivers of autistic children and youth. Please note this program is for residents of British Columbia only.
Apply to participate by submitting an Application Form by Monday, November 8 at 11:59pm Pacific. Applicants will be notified if they received a spot by December 1st, 2021.
ACT's Bursary Fund is made possible by the support of our individual donors. If you would like to support ACT's bursary fund, please consider making a donation.
Course Facilitators
Georgina Robinson PhD
Dr. Robinson is a certified School Psychologist, trained teacher of Mindful Self Compassion and Making Friends with Yourself, with additional training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy. Georgina is grateful to have received training from international leaders in Mindfulness Based Interventions including Susan Woods, Mark Williams, Rebecca Crane, Christopher Germer, Kristen Neff and Lorraine Hobbs.
Georgina brings over 25 years of experience working with children, families, and schools with particular focus on supporting those with ASD and complex needs. She considers her greatest learning being her experience raising her own children including a son with ASD. Learn more about Georgina.
Zoey Ryan BSc, PCC
In addition to being a ‘Mindful Self Compassion Trained Teacher’ and Certified Life Coach, Zoey brings over 25 years experience as a Health Educator to her work. During this time, Zoey worked in the community, supporting moms experiencing anxiety and depression during pregnancy and beyond. Zoey is a trained Pre-Natal and Hatha Yoga instructor and is trained in Body-Centered Coaching. Learn more about Zoey.