Jess Furrer
M.Ed. in Educational Psychology
The Help Group, Kaleidoscope Program
Jess Furrer
Jess Furrer is a bilingual psychology intern in the Kaleidoscope Program working closely with Dr. Laurie Stephens. She is working towards her Ph.D. in School Psychology. She provides therapy services in English and Spanish for children, teens, families, parents, and young adults. She also provides assessment services, and trainings to key stakeholders in childrens' lives. Jess has lived experience as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and enjoys providing services to other queer and neurodivergent folx.
SESSION OVERVIEW
Helping Parents Navigate the Intersection of LGBTQ+ and Autistic Identities in their Teenagers: Takeaways from a parent training group
Recent data show that 35% of LGBTQ+ youth identify as autistic. This double minority status has a profound effect on teenagers’ mental health and self-acceptance. Furthermore, parents are often unsure how to address and/or affirm their teen within this intersectionality. Both teens and parents often report feeling like systems are designed to only support one of their identities and this can leave families feeling lost and struggling with “what to prioritize.”
In this workshop, we will review a unique 6-week parenting education & support group designed by the clinical staff at Kaleidoscope and created for parents of LGBTQ+ autistic teens. We will provide an overview of the importance of affirming the intersectionality of these youth, review the topics discussed in the parenting group and share data and key takeaways on the impact of such a group.