Family Retreats: A Model for Family Growth | Episode 7

Chris welcomes Maura Nolan, a licensed professional counselor who specializes in working with young adults, families, and adults with PTSD, neurodivergence, and psychosis spectrum disorders. She is currently pursuing her passions in nature-based and wilderness therapy and is working towards licensure as a psychedelic-assisted therapist and facilitator in Colorado. Together, Chris and Maura discuss Autism Learning Lab’s family retreat model and the specific benefits that parents and other family members can expect to experience through their unique program structure. 00:00 – Introduction 01:21 – What Is an Autism Family Retreat? 02:36 – How Psychological Assessment Fits In 03:45 – From Diagnosis to Empowerment 04:37 – What Parents Learn During the Retreat 05:31 – Why Experiential Learning Matters 06:15 – The Three Parts of the Retreat 07:38 – Why Nature Is Part of the Experience 08:47 – Learning Skills in the Real World 09:29 – Family Connection Through Adventure 10:25 – Building Trust Through Challenges 11:17 – Using Real Family Dynamics as Learning Opportunities 12:27 – Practicing Better Communication 13:13 – Practical Tools Families Can Take Home 14:03 – Using “I Feel” Statements 15:25 – Flexible Thinking & Cognitive Rigidity 16:26 – Creating an Action Plan for Home 17:13 – Pre-Retreat Coaching & Post-Retreat Support 18:18 – Why the Whole Family Matters 19:05 – The Parent Experience & Family Systems 20:06 – Processing an Autism Diagnosis 21:06 – Understanding Parenting Styles 22:09 – When Autism Is Newly Diagnosed 22:59 – Processing a Late Diagnosis 23:32 – Building Skills After Diagnosis 24:14 – Creating an Individualized Retreat Experience 24:42 – Working With Maura on Retreat 25:00 – How to Join an Autism Learning Lab Retreat 25:32 – Closing Instagram:   / autism.learning.lab