Understanding Neurodiversity: Professional Approaches to Autism and ADHD

Presented by:
Thomas Walsh, MSW, LISW-CP/s
Thomas Walsh is a Licensed Independent Social Work Clinical Practitioner and Supervisor.  He has been working in the field of mental health for over 24 years.  He graduated from Bridgewater State University in 1995 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology.  Mr. Walsh attended Salem State University and graduated with a Master’s degree in Social Work in 1998.  After graduation, Mr. Walsh worked as a student for Dr. Salvatore Minuchin for four months as part of a small project to teach new therapists mastery of Structural Family Therapy. Early in his career, he focused on working with children with autism in residential settings. Over the course of his career, Mr. Walsh has been licensed in three states and served the field of social work in a variety of sectors, including private, public, for-profit, and not-for-profit, and with a variety of age groups as a clinician, Team Leader, Program Director, Residential Director, and County Director.  He is currently working for the Department of Mental Health and specializes with EMDR and Trauma Informed Therapy for First Responders and their families.  He is also one of the State Department of Mental Health trainers and consultants for Motivational Interviewing. Over the course of his career, Mr. Walsh has led public trainings on topics such as Assessing Risk, Working with ASD Populations, and Motivational Interviewing.  Most Recently, Mr. Walsh has begun supervising social workers who are working towards independent clinical licensure, and offering consultation services for Licensed Clinicians in private practice.

Riena Kain, LISW- CP, LSCSW, ADHD-CCSP
Riena is a graduate of Upper Iowa University with a dual major bachelor’s in psychology and human services and a master’s degree in social work from Washburn University. Riena is an LISW-CP in South Carolina and a LSCSW in Kansas. Riena also holds an ADHD- Certified Clinical Services Provider title. She is a wife and mother who loves to travel, be in nature and spend time with her dogs and a good book. Riena has over 12 years of experience in working with at-risk youth and adolescents. Her experience spans from child welfare social work, school-based therapy, and private practice. It is her hope to share her passion for ADHD with you today as we work toward growing our competency on a complex diagnosis.