March 12–13, 2026
Speaker
Sean Inderbitzen, DSW
Psychotherapist and Researcher at Mayo Clinic Health System, and author of Autism in Polyvagal Terms
About Sean Inderbitzen
Sean Inderbitzen an autistic psychotherapist and researcher through Mayo Clinic Health System. He regularly trains healthcare professionals to be more confident when working with people on the spectrum. He is the author of Autism in Polyvagal Terms: New Possibilities and Interventions, which includes a foreword by Dr. Stephen Porges and is part of W.W. Norton’s Interpersonal Neurobiology Series.
Presentation
Autism and the Autonomic Nervous System
ON DEMAND | 180 MINUTES
Polyvagal Theory (PVT) provides a neurobiological lens for understanding autism, highlighting the importance of autonomic regulation, neuroception, and co-regulation, while critiquing traditional ABA methods that may misinterpret safety cues like eye contact. This presentation advocates for integrating Applied Neural Exercise (ANE) and Feedback-Informed Treatment (FIT) to foster neuroaffirming care, emphasizing the therapeutic alliance as a key driver of clinical success. Drawing from Patterson’s work on “warmth” and the Still Face Experiment, it outlines teachable safety-making behaviors aligned with the Stimulus-Organism-Response model, operationalized through strategies like OARS, Elicit-Provide-Elicit, and the Session Rating Scale. The ANE Logic Model and ICS Neuroaffirming Care certification underscore a values-based, evidence-driven approach, prioritizing kindness and generosity over superficial gestures. Behavior analysts are encouraged to apply these frameworks to enhance outcomes and authentically support autistic individuals and their families.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Objective 1:
Learners can expect to be able to identify what state of the nervous system is in based on bodily, non-verbal markers (somatic indicators) of threat and safety in autistic clients and apply to their own cases.
Objective 2:
Learners will be able to manualize warmth akin to what GI Patterson discusses, and do so through Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries.
Objective 3:
Attendees will have examples of how to model warmth for caregivers using simple and complex reflections, and be able to apply these reflections to modeling warmth.
Elevate Your Impact is Catalight’s annual virtual conference, dedicated to advancing person-centered care for individuals with autism and intellectual developmental disabilities (I/DDs). Offering continuing education to those who qualify, the conference features a dynamic mix of live sessions and on-demand content, providing a flexible learning experience. Elevate Your Impact is an opportunity to connect with thought leaders, gain insights and optimize care outcomes in behavioral health.