Autism service professionals are the backbone of our system of care; championing their wellbeing is imperative to assuring autistic individuals achieve a high-quality life. PERMA is a model of wellbeing utilized by many social service professions, including educators, social workers and medical providers. The five building blocks of PERMA are positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment. The research is clear, these five components are critical to human flourishing. The intentional application of the science and skills of PERMA can elevate the wellbeing of social service professionals, resulting in greater opportunities for effective intervention delivered by those professionals. This session will describe a current project implementing and assessing the application of PERMA Theory within the autism service system and encourage participants to integrate effective wellbeing practices into their lives and their professional practice.

Learning Objectives

  1. List the five building blocks of PERMA Theory
  2. Describe two practices that could enhance the wellbeing of autism service professionals
  3. Apply one wellbeing practice into your professional practice.

About the Presenter

Patricia Wright
Dr. Patricia Wright’s commitment to ensuring all individuals with autism have access to effective services and supports has guided her work over the past 30 years, from her earliest responsibilities as a special educator, to state and national-level program management. Specific examples of her advocacy include the management in the design of a statewide system of support for children with autism for the state of Hawaii, several years as the National Director of Autism Services for Easter Seals, her industry positions leveraging technology and her current role at NEXT for AUTISM developing innovative program options to increase the quality of life of those living with ASD.Dr. Patricia Wright’s commitment to ensuring all individuals with autism have access to effective services and supports has guided her work for more than 30 years, from her earliest responsibilities as a special educator, to state and national-level program management, her advocacy includes the management in the design of a statewide system of support for children with autism for the state of Hawaii, several years as the National Director of Autism Services for Easter Seals, her industry positions leveraging technology, and her current role at Proof Positive spreading the science and skills of happiness. Patricia has held advisory roles for a number of professional associations and advocacy groups, including the Organization for Autism Research's Scientific Council, the Executive Committee for the Friends of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Board of Directors for the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts and the Autism Society Panel of Professional Advisors. She has been asked to provide expert testimony at Congressional Hearings and is a frequent contributor in the media, raising awareness of effective intervention for those living with disabilities. Patricia completed her PhD and Master of Public Health from the University of Hawaii. Her research focuses on the delivery of evidence-based interventions in community-based settings and healthcare access for people with disabilities.

Course information

  • Title: Human Flourishing…Making it a Reality in Autism Services
  • Presenter: Patricia Wright Ph.D.
  • CEUs: 2 Learning
  • Duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes
  • Customer Rating: (11)
$39.00