Tony is a clinical psychologist who has specialised in autism spectrum disorders since he qualified as a clinical psychologist in England in 1975.  He currently works in his own private practice and is also adjunct professor at Griffith University, Queensland, and senior consultant at the Minds and Hearts clinic in Brisbane. His book Asperger’s Syndrome – A Guide for Parents and Professionals has sold over 350,000 copies and has been translated into over 25 languages.  His subsequent book, The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome, was published in October 2006 and is one of the primary textbooks on Asperger’s syndrome. 

“Tony has been invited to be a keynote speaker at many Australasian and international conferences.  He presents workshops and runs training courses for parents, professionals and individuals with Asperger's syndrome all over the world and is a prolific author of scientific papers and books on the subject,” said Director of CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning, Helga Smit.

“It’s an honour that Tony has agreed to come and present for CatholicCare in Taree, where we know parents, teachers and families have many questions about the lifelong developmental condition that affects, among other things, the way an individual relates to his or her environment and interacts with others,” Helga said.

CatholicCare psychologist and Clinical Services Manager, Tanya Russell, will also be in attendance to provide advice to families and individuals on the support available in the Manning region for diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. 

“Learning that you have, or your child has, autism, can be confronting. For some, it is traumatic as they realise the future they had envisaged might now be affected by limitations. For others, a positive diagnosis can signal relief, as it provides clarity and understanding around difficulties being experienced in daily life,” Tanya said.

“As Tony will articulate, an autism diagnosis has the potential to open doors to services that can support an individual’s ability to interact socially and improve understanding and functioning in all settings − personal relationships, school and work. We hope that as many people as possible will come and learn from his wealth of experience in this field,” Tanya said.

CatholicCare is a registered NDIS provider offering a range of services including autism and clinical assessments, behavioural support, counselling, co-ordination of support and psycho-social NDIS packages.

The information session is open to all and there is no cost. RSVP is essential.

Date:           Friday 3 March 2017

Time:           9am-11.30am
Location:      Club Taree, 121 Wingham Road, Taree.

RSVP Monday 27 February E tburns@catholiccare.org.au or P 4979 1176.

Follow mnnews.today on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.