Online

September 27 to October 10, 2024 (on your own)
Fridays: October 11 & 18, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects around 3-5% of the population in adults (Barkley, 2018). There are many supports and resources for children and adolescents, but very little for adults with ADHD. Adults are often missed or misdiagnosed until being accurately diagnosed in adulthood (e.g., Poulton, 2021). Awareness of ADHD has also been increasing on social media, which may be prompting adults to seek diagnosis and help. Adults with ADHD may experience occupational participation barriers in post-secondary school, workplaces, social interactions, driving, financial management, and household management. Occupational participation barriers can be significant when adults with ADHD fulfill their roles in neurotypical contexts. Thus, neurodiverse-affirming approaches that foster contextual changes to highlight their strengths and interests, while providing support for their differences, can improve occupational participation with self-acceptance and inclusivity. Occupational therapists are well-positioned to support adults with ADHD by advocating for social and occupational justice, evolving towards neurodiverse approaches, and providing support strategies to facilitate occupational participation.

This beginner-level online workshop is ideal for occupational therapists who wish to gain foundational knowledge in adult ADHD, neurodiversity, assessment strategies, and support skills to facilitate the occupational participation of adults with ADHD. You will learn the the limitations in the diagnostic process of ADHD in the DSM-5-TR (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2022), occupational participation challenges, neurodiversity-affirming practice, assessment strategies and tools, support strategies, contextual strategies, and promoting self-advocacy.

Workshop topics

This workshop will focus on building foundational knowledge on the nature of adult ADHD, neurodiversity-affirming practice, occupational and social justice and inclusion, assessment strategies, and beginner-level therapy support strategies (behavioural and contextual). The following topics will be reviewed:

1. The nature of ADHD in adults: Overview of diagnostic process to understand how clients can be misdiagnosed or how occupational therapists can aid in diagnosis for clients presenting with ADHD-like characteristics, limitations of the DSM-5-TR, co-occurring conditions, and theory and models explaining ADHD.
2. Neurodiversity-affirming practice: Definition of neurodiversity, principles of neurodiversity (intersectionality, autonomy, validating differences, reframing expectations), and exploring neuronormativity.
3. Occupational and social justice and inclusion: Discussion on identifying and advocating for societal change to include adults with ADHD.
4. Assessment strategies: Interviews, questionnaires, and performance-based assessments (e.g., Weekly Calendar Planning Activity, observation).
5. Beginner therapy support strategies: Behavioural strategies include skills and tools to facilitate executive functioning, such as dopamenu, organizational strategies, time management, routine/structure, and sensory management. Contextual strategies include workplace and school accommodations, changing the environment, as well as self-advocacy.

Preliminary workshop agenda

Prerecorded webinar

Synchronous – Day 1

 Synchronous – Day 2

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

1. Understand the limitations of the DSM-5-TR (APA, 2022) in the diagnostic process of ADHD in adults and how they relate to occupational therapy practice.
2. Describe the clinical presentation of adults with ADHD, including their common occupational challenges, strengths, and associated co-conditions.
3. Understand neurodiversity-affirming principles and how they apply to occupational therapy practice, occupational justice, and inclusion.
4. Select assessment strategies to identify occupational participation barriers for adults with ADHD.
5. Provide behavioural and contextual beginner therapy support strategies for adults with ADHD.

Target audience

Occupational therapist clinicians, occupational therapist educators, and occupational therapist researchers who wish to gain foundational knowledge in adult ADHD and neurodiversity, assessment strategies, and beginner therapy support skills to facilitate the occupational participation of adults with ADHD. Social workers, psychotherapists, psychologists, and case managers are also welcome to attend.

Please note: Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc.

Areas of practice
Autism/Neurodiversity, Cognition, Mental Health

Client age group
Adults (20-64 years old)

Workshop level
Beginner (0-2 years of experience in this specific practice area)

Please note: Participants with more than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 0-2 years of experience.

Presenter

Adam Ly, OT Reg. (Ont.)

Adam Ly has been practicing as a Registered Occupational Therapist since 2016. He completed his Bachelor of Health Science and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Degree at Western University. He works at an outpatient clinic assessing and treating clients from car accidents, workplace injuries, long-term disability, and privately paying clients. He works alongside physiotherapists, kinesiologists, and psychotherapists. His practice focuses on concussions, mental health, chronic pain, and cognitive rehabilitation. He primarily sees the following conditions: ADHD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, brain injuries, PTSD, and adjustment disorder. He is also a seasonal lecturer at Western University teaching cognitive rehabilitation, as well as a co-instructor for various workshops at the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. He has co-presented at numerous conferences and workshops on adult ADHD including the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). He also has co-published articles in the Canadian Journal of Physician Leadership (CJPL), Attention Magazine, and Occupational Therapy Now. 

Dr. Maryna Mammoliti, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Maryna Mammoliti (she/her) is a psychiatrist who splits her time between London and Toronto, Canada, practicing comprehensive psychiatry with focus on psychotherapy, physician health, ADHD, developmental trauma and PTSD, as well as ER psychiatry at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She has completed her medical school training at University of Ottawa, Canada, followed by her 5-year Psychiatry residency at Western University in London, Ontario. She was a former Psychiatry Section Chair at Ontario Medical Association (OMA). She currently holds an Adjunct Professor position at Western University (London, Ontario) supervising residents and medical students for their psychiatry rotations. She has provided talks on physician health over the years and focuses her practice on diagnosing and advocating for patients with ADHD (especially adults), developmental trauma, adult attachment and eating disorders as well as therapy and a comprehensive approach to each patient. She has co-presented on adult ADHD at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). She also has two co-published articles in the Canadian Journal of Physician Leadership (CJPL), one of which addresses ADHD in physicians.

Registration fees

Early bird rates: Registration and payment completed by July 31, 2024

Regular rates: Registration and payment completed after July 31, 2024

Registration deadline: October 11, 2024 at 9:59 a.m. (Eastern Time)

Please note that CAOT does not offer group registration fees.

*It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See “Can a non-member register for a Workshop?” in our Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for.  

Included in your registration fee:

Online workshop, access to the recording for a period of 14 days following the workshop, electronic copy of presentation slide handouts, opportunity to network and make connections with other occupational therapists interested in this topic, electronic certificate of attendance.

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by September 18, 2024 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after September 18, 2024. Substitutions and transfers requests received by September 25, 2024 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration. 

CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before August 16, 2024 if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until August 30, 2024. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes.

  Professional Development FAQs