Becoming a Neurodivergent-Affirming Clinician: Understanding ADHD and Autism through a Strengths-Based, Neurodivergent-Affirming Lens
2026-02-04 10:00 - 2026-03-11 13:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Law & Ethics, Health Equity,
and Cultural Competence CEs!
Becoming a Neurodivergent-Affirming Clinician: Understanding ADHD and Autism through a Strengths-Based, Neurodivergent-Affirming Lens
Presented by: B Lourenco, MA, LMHC
When: This course will be held for six consecutive Wednesdays: February 4th through March 11th, 2026, from 10:00 am – 1:15 pm Pacific / 1:00 pm – 4:15 pm Eastern

Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 | 10:00 am – 1:15 pm Pacific / 1:00 pm – 4:15 pm Eastern
Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 | 10:00 am – 1:15 pm Pacific / 1:00 pm – 4:15 pm Eastern
Wednesday, February 18th, 2026 | 10:00 am – 1:15 pm Pacific / 1:00 pm – 4:15 pm Eastern
Wednesday, February 25th, 2026 | 10:00 am – 1:15 pm Pacific / 1:00 pm – 4:15 pm Eastern
Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 | 10:00 am – 1:15 pm Pacific / 1:00 pm – 4:15 pm Eastern
Wednesday, March 11th, 2026 | 10:00 am – 1:15 pm Pacific / 1:00 pm – 4:15 pm Eastern

Where: Live on Zoom. You will receive your Zoom link/invitation the week of the event.
18 CEs (12 CEs can be used for Cultural Competence or Health Equity CEs, and 6 can be used for Law & Ethics CEs) | $599.00 *** (see below for payment options)
As technology progresses and education on mental health becomes increasingly more available, the population has become more self-aware. The world is changing quickly, and with it, more and more people realize that their brain works differently than others. Due to the influence of social media and the shift to focusing on lived experience as a legitimate means of diagnosis, we are seeing a sudden increase in clients that identify as Autistic and/or an ADHDer. We find that clients are speaking up and finding validation of what they have always known: their brains operate differently than the brains of their peers, colleagues, friends, and families. As a result, we are seeing a sudden increase in the young adult and middle-aged population who identify as being Neurodivergent in a Neurotypical world.
This workshop series is designed to help clinicians build greater awareness and familiarity with ADHD and Autistic experiences. Participants will come away from this course with a deeper understanding of ADHD and Autism from the Neurodiversity-Affirming Paradigm that focuses on strengths and differences, not diagnoses, disorders, and deficits.
Especially following the Covid pandemic and its sometimes long-term impact on the brain and the immune system’s inflammatory processes, many clients report having different and often challenging sensory processing experiences. We are seeing more adults presenting in our offices with reports that they now have issues not only with taste and smell but with a range of visual, hearing, tactile, balance, and internal bodily sensations they never have before experienced, as well as difficulties with attention and memory. This begs the question: have these brain differences always been there but now have been sensitized or magnified by exposure to Covid and months-long isolation?
Many adults are now recognizing they are not alone and are demanding they not be dismissed or invalidated any longer, often having experienced the continued frustration of providers questioning their own lived experiences and, as a result, having been either undiagnosed or underdiagnosed due to outdated and debunked diagnostic criteria still used by mainstream psychiatrists and physicians. These individuals are finding validation for what they have suspected all along: their brains work differently than those of their peers, families, and friends.
With new research available and an increasingly empowered clientele, we see more than ever the need to remain current in our understanding of–and support for–those who have brain differences. Committed to blending cutting-edge scientific evidence with the lived experiences of our clients, Cascadia Training, is delighted to offer a new workshop series designed to help clinicians build greater awareness and familiarity with ADHD and Autistic experiences.
Upon completion of this series, participants will have a deeper understanding of ADHD and Autism from the Neurodiversity Affirming Paradigm that focuses on strengths and differences, not disorders, diagnoses, and deficits!
Woven throughout the series are the law and ethics of working with neurodivergent clients, including the danger of misdiagnoses, and the harm of using biased, outdated, debunked diagnostic criteria leading to the under-diagnosis of ADHD and Autism spectrum experiences. In addition, participants will learn about and identify pathologizing, stigmatizing, and harmful treatment protocols and clinical interventions still utilized by providers in educational, physical, and mental health professions.
This series uses a system developed explicitly by B Lourenco, an expert on ADHD and Autism. The course focuses to a large degree on the internal, lived experience of neurodiversity. Each of the six weekly sessions will include a didactic portion, an experiential section, and direct case consultation time. All modules will include lecture, video, and experiential segments.
Certificate Program Weekly Modules:
Week One: Sensory Systems – Getting in touch with the sensory system is the most critical step in supporting neurodivergent clients. Sensory information can regulate emotional and physical experiences. In addition, we will focus on using sensory profiles, menus, and diets to support day-to-day quality of life.
Week Two: Communication and Relationships – Understanding how those with Autism and ADHD communicate creates room for therapeutic connection. With this understanding, we will dive into tools for managing meltdowns and shutdowns in an affirming way.
Week Three: Attending and Executive Function – This module will explain why those with Autism and ADHD face challenges attending to their environment by addressing social expectations on perceptions of “functioning.” You will also learn how to use the client’s natural rhythms to support positive functionality.
Week Four: Social Systems and Disability – Understanding how society directly impacts the lives of people with disabilities. We will focus on how clinicians can incorporate advocacy into their practice and tools to unlearn neurotypical values by connecting clients to personal values.
Week Five: Differentials and Comorbidities – This module will teach participants how to rule out or “dial in” on other mental health concerns or diagnoses. We will present comorbidities that exist with your neurodivergent clients and how to effectively support them in a non-stigmatizing way. The role of trauma and grief in the lived experience of clients who identify as neurodivergent will be discussed, as well as the impact of these events on the developing brain. We will process how to best support the grief and disenfranchised losses felt by our autistic and ADHD clients and their families.
Week Six: The Use of Joy As a Tool Against Oppression. Creating celebrations of being neurodivergent and finding joy in everyday life as we partner with our neurodivergent clients. The Neurodivergent-affirming certificate program series will conclude with various celebrations we can share with our clients and the shift to viewing “joy itself as a tool against oppression.” As clinicians, it is important for us to first comprehend–and then share– the ways that society benefits from neurodiversity in general and ADHD and Autism, in particular. We will conclude by learning ways to help our clients celebrate their neurodiversity and see themselves through an affirming, strengths-based lens.
Other topics that will be covered in this practice- and life-altering certificate program series include, but are not limited to:

Alexithymia and Dysthymia
ARFID
Misophonia
Gender and sexuality in the ADHD and Autistic communities
The role of menstruation on ADHD and Autistic brains
Interdependence vs codependence and/or independence
Myths and stigmas about neurodivergent people
Experiences of abuse in neurodivergent people
Pervasive Desire for Autonomy (PDA)

***Payment Options:
Cascadia Training values quality continuing education that is accessible, inclusive, and without barriers to all. We never want the cost of our workshops to be a barrier to attending one of our workshops, particularly our multi-session workshops.
We offer several options to make our workshops cost-inclusive: payment plans, a limited number of full and partial scholarships, discounts for students, and discounts for early professionals. Please email us at hello@cascadiatraining.org for more information.
For payment plans, you can select paying 50% today and 50% due on March 31, 2026.
REGISTER HERE

SOLD OUT! Register for Upcoming Sessions Tarot Certificate Program: The Clinical Use of Tarot Card Imagery in Psychotherapy 🆕
2026-03-06 13:00 - 2026-04-17 16:15
This certificate program is now sold out.
Please register for one of the following upcoming sessions of the certificate program:

Friday, September 25th – Sunday, September 27th, 2026 – 3-Day Series | Live via Zoom: MORE INFO & TO REGISTER>>>

🆕Brand-New Certificate Program!🆕
Law & Ethics, Health Equity, Cultural Competence, and Professional Roles & Boundaries CEs!
Tarot Certificate Program: The Clinical Use of Tarot Card Imagery in Psychotherapy
Presented by: Dreya Blume, LCSW
When: Friday, March 6th – Friday, April 17th, 2026 | 6-Week Series | Meets Six Consecutive Fridays except Friday, April 3rd | 1:00 pm – 4:15 pm Pacific Time (same time each Friday)
Where: Live on Zoom. You will receive your Zoom link/invitation the week of the workshop.
Continuing Education Credit Hours: 18 CEs, 6 of which are Law and Ethics CEs, 2 of which are Health Equity CEs, 2 of which are Cultural Competence CEs, and 2 of which are Professional Relationships CEs | $499.00 (price includes PDF copies of Dreya’s three-volume book The Clinical Use of Tarot Card Imagery in Psychotherapy (a $40.00 value) – price increases to $599.00 after November 30th, 2025.
***see below for payment options
All 2026 Sessions Scheduled (so far…more to come!)

Friday, January 23rd – Sunday, January 25th, 2026 – 3-Day Series | Live via Zoom: MORE INFO & TO REGISTER>>>
Friday, March 6th – Friday, April 17th, 2026 – 6-Week Series | Live via Zoom: MORE INFO & TO REGISTER>>>
Friday, September 25th – Sunday, September 27th, 2026 – 3-Day Series | Live via Zoom: MORE INFO & TO REGISTER>>>

This innovative 18-hour continuing education program invites psychotherapists into a rich and rigorous exploration of tarot as a clinical tool—one that bridges history, psychology, metaphor, and meaning-making. You will discover how tarot card imagery functions as a dynamic visual and symbolic language, uniquely suited to therapeutic conversations. From its historical roots and cultural controversies to its contemporary relevance in the therapy room, this course provides a comprehensive introduction to the clinical applications of tarot.
Tarot is a particularly powerful tool in psychotherapy because it engages both intuition and structured exploration. Its archetypal and narrative richness make tarot an ideal companion for therapists working at the intersection of the unconscious and creative expression. Tarot cards can externalize internal experiences, evoke epiphany, and stimulate insight, allowing clients to access feelings and ideas that may be difficult to articulate in more traditional ways. Whether used for parts work or accessing suppressed emotions, tarot meets clients where they are, supporting both depth and flexibility in the therapeutic process.
In becoming a “tarot-friendly therapist,” you will discover that incorporating tarot into your practice opens up a creative and intuitive space for clients that is rich with possibility. Tarot allows clients to externalize internal experiences, access inner wisdom, and engage in symbolic storytelling that can be both playful and profound. Whether used as a metaphor, visual prompt, or reflective tool, tarot can make therapy feel more accessible, empowering, and emotionally resonant, especially for those who struggle to articulate feelings through words alone. Clients who already have a relationship with tarot (or are simply curious about the cards) will be thrilled to learn that this powerful tool can be integrated into their treatment.
Throughout the course, we will explore the projective potential of tarot through the lenses of Jungian psychology, narrative therapy, psychodrama, and Gestalt practices such as chairwork. We will also examine tarot’s compatibility with modalities such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Poetry Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, broadening your understanding of how to integrate tarot into diverse treatment approaches.
With an emphasis on ethical, inclusive practice, you will learn how to introduce tarot imagery to clients in ways that honor spiritual and religious diversity while respecting professional boundaries. The course includes guidance on spiritual competency, clinical documentation, and ethical considerations. This highly experiential training offers ample opportunities to practice, reflect on, and personalize the material. Whether you are an experienced clinician seeking new depth or a newer therapist curious about symbolic tools, this program offers both theoretical grounding and hands-on application: The goal is for you to leave feeling comfortable and confident integrating tarot into your therapy practice. By the end, you will have an expanded toolkit and a new lens through which to view healing, insight, and transformation.
Note: No prior experience with tarot is required.
This course is based on Dreya Blume’s book, The Clinical Use of Tarot Card Imagery in Psychotherapy (2025) (Amazon link)
Exciting News! The tuition for this 18-hour first-of-its-kind certificate program includes your own PDF copy of Dreya Blume’s three-volume book.
Workshop Objectives

Identify various ways in which visual imagery can be used to address mental health issues
Utilize tarot card imagery for creative expression
Analyze the archetypal uses of tarot card imagery
Apply tarot card imagery to inner critic work
Assess which tarot card activities to use depending on the client population and issue
Create therapeutic applications of tarot card imagery
Identify how to use tarot card imagery for intuitive work with the subconscious
Utilize tarot card imagery for emotional externalization purposes
Describe how to use tarot card imagery for facilitating emotional expression
Apply tarot card imagery to narrative therapy techniques
Describe how tarot card imagery relates to dialogue work as found in Gestalt Therapy
Demonstrate how tarot card imagery relates to parts work
Develop tarot activities that can be used in core values generation
Explain how tarot card imagery can be ethically introduced to clients
Prepare tarot-based activities for clients that are ethically grounded
Explain the ethics behind processing tarot-based activities with clients
Demonstrate how to create and maintain healthy boundaries between the client and the counselor in terms of integrating tarot card imagery into the session
Identify ways to ensure well-defined roles in the professional relationship
Demonstrate cultural competence in terms of identifying the cultural background of tarot
Demonstrate cultural competence in terms of exploring and then integrating clients’ personal relationships with tarot into counseling

Topics covered during the six-week training:

The History of Tarot
The Clinical Benefits of Using Tarot Cards
The “Evidence-Based” Bugaboo
Spiritual/Religious Competency in Therapy
Tarot, Creativity, and Therapy
Tarot Is/As Metaphor
Beyond Metaphor: Pataphor
Projective Tools in Psychotherapy
Carl Jung: Therapeutic Tarot’s Forefather
Shadow Work
The Hero’s Journey
Tarot And/As Visual Imagery in Art Therapy
Narrative Therapy
Psychodrama
EMDR, Visual Imagery, and Metaphoric Cards
Inner Critic Work
Introjections
Parts Work
Chairwork
Solution-Focused Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Poetry Therapy
Introducing Tarot Cards to a Client
Clinical Documentation
Tarot and Professional Ethics
Marketing oneself as a “tarot-friendly therapist”

Six Training Modules: 6-Week Breakdown by Week
Week 1

The History of Tarot
The Clinical Benefits of Using Tarot Cards
The “Evidence-Based” Bugaboo
Spiritual/Religious Competency in Therapy
Tarot, Creativity, and Therapy

Week 2

Tarot Is/As Metaphor
Beyond Metaphor: Pataphor
Projective Tools in Psychotherapy
Carl Jung: Therapeutic Tarot’s Forefather
Shadow Work
The Hero’s Journey

Week 3

Tarot And/As Visual Imagery in Art Therapy
Narrative Therapy
Psychodrama
EMDR, Visual Imagery, and Metaphoric Cards
Inner Critic Work

Week 4

Introjections
Parts Work
Chairwork
Solution-Focused Therapy

Week 5

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Poetry Therapy
Asemic Writing for Healing

Week 6

Introducing Tarot Cards to a Client
Clinical Documentation
Tarot and Professional Ethics
Marketing oneself as a “tarot-friendly therapist”

***Payment Options:
Cascadia Training values quality continuing education that is accessible, inclusive, and without barriers to all. We never want the cost of our workshops to be a barrier to attending one of our workshops, particularly our multi-session workshops.
We offer several options to make our workshops cost-inclusive: payment plans, a limited number of full and partial scholarships, discounts for students, and discounts for early professionals. Please email us at hello@cascadiatraining.org for more information.
For payment plans, you can select paying 50% today and 50% due on April 30th, 2026.

If It’s Not in the Record, It Didn’t Happen – Or Did It? Law and Ethics of Effective Documentation and Record Keeping for Mental Health Professionals
2026-03-13 09:30 - 17:00
Law & Ethics CEs!
If It’s Not in the Record, It Didn’t Happen – Or Did It? Law and Ethics of Effective Documentation and Record Keeping for Mental Health Professionals
Presented by: Eric Ström, PhD, Attorney at Law, LMHC
When: Friday, March 13th, 2026 | 9:30 am – 5:00 pm Pacific Time
Where: Live on Zoom. You will receive your Zoom link/invitation the week of the workshop.
Continuing Education Credit Hours: 6 Law and Ethics | Cost: $199.00
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
Effective record-keeping is vital to effective clinical work and is a key part of sound professional practice. In this workshop, we will examine Washington State and Federal legal standards regarding clinical documentation. We will also discuss documentation best-practices to support effective clinical work while minimizing the risk of liability. Participants will gain an increased understanding of the current standards regarding clinical documentation. This course is intended to meet ethics continuing education requirements
This continuing education workshop will be focused on understanding the sources of law and ethics standards and applying those standards to a range of real-world and hypothetical scenarios.
Through this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to discover the guidance provided by state law, federal law, and a range of applicable ethical codes. In addition to the provided case studies and scenarios, participants are encouraged to share their own experiences, questions, and thoughts.
WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES:

Locate and describe ethical standards relating to clinical documentation
Locate and describe Federal and Washington State legal standards relating to clinical documentation
Create and evaluate strategies to use clinical documentation to best support effective work with clients
Evaluate sufficiency and effectiveness of current documentation strategies.
Apply best practice standards to clinical documentation of work with a range of diverse client populations.

REGISTER HERE
