Autism Talk W Dr. Rob

Dennis Maher, President of the Autism Society of Hawaii, has been actively involved in not only helping to provide families affected by Autism with resources but is also a father himself of a child with Autism. Dennis shared with Dr. Douk and the BHW community about what types of resources are available for families on the autism spectrum and he also shared some personal testimonies on what he faced with his own child. From Hawaii’s first ever Autism Society Walk to the Surfer organization, Dennis will share with Dr. Douk how Autism Society of Hawaii is helping to grow the resources available for families on the islands. BHW is proud to not only be partnered with Autism Society of Hawaii but to also sponsor this year’s Autism Society Walk on Saturday, April 28th. It is because of individuals like Dennis and organizations like Autism Society of Hawaii that we are able to strive for a brighter tomorrow.

Suzanne Potts, Executive Director for the Autism Society of Texas has been actively involved in not only helping to provide families affected by autism with resources but has also championed efforts in assisting all affected families around Houston as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Suzanne will share with Dr. Douk and the BHW community about what types of resources are available to affected families and how the different Autism Societies throughout the world can help during these natural disasters. She will also share how Hurricane Harvey affected the autism community and how the Autism Society is helping affected families adjust and thrive during this difficult time. Lastly, she will also share how you can pay it forward. Whether your a neighbor from a nearby city around Houston to being on the other side of the world, technology can bring this planet together to advance humankind. So listen in and enjoy as Dr. Douk speaks with Suzanne Potts! 

Psychologist Dr. John Quinlan PsyD focuses on the grief reactions parent are likely to experience once they are told that their child is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Quinlan will review the grief reactions of denial, bargaining, anger, depression, and acceptance. With each of these reactions, Dr. Quinlan will reveal common parental experiences associated with their struggle to accept the developmental differences associated with their child. Dr. Quinlan is a licensed Psychologist with over 27 year of associated experience in health care. He currently works in private practice for Transforming Minds Christian Counseling Center. You can find out more about Transforming Minds at TransformingMinds.org. He also has a significant role with Behavioral Health Works where he is involved in overseeing mental health professional as well as provide counseling for parents and individuals.

Dr. Mark Nguyen completed his doctorate in education from the University of Southern California (USC) and maintains credentials in School Psychology and Administration. He is an active member of the Boys and Girls Club. Dr. Nguyen is also involved with Little Saigons radio talk show, where he facilitates discussions on topics such as autism and ADHD. Dr. Nguyen will be speaking on tips to prepare parents for IEP meetings and accessing needed services for Autism such as ABA (applied behavior analysis), speech therapy, occupational therapy, and appropriate evaluations to determine the diagnosis of autism. Additionally, autism insurance and SB 946 will be discussed.