Introduction to Puberty

for Occupational Therapists

Knowledge and practical skills to help your clients navigate the transition through puberty

Are you an OT with tween or teen clients?

Are you seeking further knowledge, skills and tools to help young people with autism, neurodivergence and disability navigate the transition through the puberty years.

Do you...

  • Have young tween or teen clients with autism, neurodivergence and disability?
  • Feel unsure which strategies, interventions and resources to utilise to best support your clients with puberty related occupational performance issues?
  • Wish you had a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the additional occupational challenges of puberty for people who are autistic or neurodivergent?
  • Want to know how to approach puberty and its related life skills in a neuro-affirming way?
  • Want to learn from occupational therapists with years of practical experience and skills in delivering fun, age appropriate and engaging puberty and life skills education?

Did you know?

  • Occupational therapists, as a profession, are neglecting to address puberty-specific challenges of autistic adolescents? (American Journal of OT, 2021)
  • Practitioners lack confidence to address and support their clients' puberty related challenges due to limited academic literature and lack of training opportunities. (OT Practice Magazine - American Occupational Therapy Association, 2022)
  • Occupational therapists are uniquely placed to identify challenges impacting menstrual hygiene management, as well as promoting independence in this essential activity of daily living. (OT Practice Magazine - American Occupational Therapy Association)

Our training is informative and FUN!

Professional development shouldn't be boring - and this topic doesn't need to be scary! We make this training interactive, informative and fun!

You will walk away with knowledge, resources and skills allowing you to assist your clients straight away. But most importantly, you will come away from this training with the confidence to openly broach this subject with your clients and families. 

Every child will go through puberty, so your ability as a paediatric occupational therapist, to support them through this often daunting period will greatly enhance your practice and professionalism.

Knowledge is power - both for our clients and ourselves! 

 

Learning Outcomes:

  • Understand the impact of autism and disability on the experience of puberty
  • Recognise the occupational performance issues that arise for people with autism, neurodivergence and disability during puberty - categorised under the NDIS functional domainsā€‹
  • Understand the connection between autism and neurodivergence, and gender non-conformity; and how this impacts on the puberty experience for young people
  • Review the current literature and evidence based strategies for puberty support in occupational therapy
  • Understand the role of Occupational Therapy in supporting young people with disability to manage puberty
  • Be aware of the practical strategies, tools and resources available for intervention - focused in the areas of: body changes, hygiene, personal care, menstruation (understanding and management), emotional regulation, friendships and social skills, gender stereotypes, confidence and resilience and consent and bodily autonomy.
  • How to integrate puberty-management and life skills goals, into client therapy plans
  • Understand Occupational Therapy scope of practice in this field, and onward referral channels

Training Inclusions:

Pre-workshop activities:

  • pre-readings and provision of training handbook
  • brief training preparation activities
  • opportunity to submit specific questions, case studies or training requests for the workshop

Online workshop:

  • four hour live online workshop
  • two facilitators with years of experience working with puberty-aged clients and running puberty focused OT programs
  •  experiential training including interactive activities

Post-workshop:

  • free access to selected Puberty Plus branded resources via an online portal
  • admission to the Puberty Plus private Facebook group for practitioners
  • exclusive discounts for Puberty Plus training and resources

Key Information

Date & TimeĀ 

Ā 

Thursday 23rd January 2025

2:00pm - 6:00pm (ACDT)

Training finish time TBC

Ā Location

Ā 

Online Training via Zoom

Link and further information will be sent afterĀ registration

Training Investment

$345.00 AUD

For Intro to Puberty

OR

$600.00 AUD

For Intro to Puberty AND Puberty Plus Practitioner Program Package (excluding membership fee, see practitioner program page for details)
(training days to be run in the same 2 week school holiday period)

(application required prior to payment, click below)

Click here for $345.00 AUD (Intro to Puberty)
Click here to apply for our Practitioner Program or for more information

Our Instructors

This training will be hosted by two members of

the Bloom Wellbeing Occupational Therapy Team

 

Creators of the Puberty Plus Programs 

SARAH HAUSLER

DIRECTOR & PRINCIPAL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

  • Original developer of the Well Girls and Puberty Plus programs, and associated resources
  • Author of Piper Gets Her Period and Puberty Plus Handbook
  • Bachelor of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy
  • Graduate Certificate in Soft Tissue Injury Management, and a Graduate Diploma in Journalism
  • Administrator of the Women's Health Occupational Therapy Facebook page and monthly interest group 

KATE SARGEANT

SENIOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

  • Bachelor of  Occupational Therapy with First Class Research Honours after completing a thesis on 'The effect of the loss or potential loss of an autism assistance animal'.
  • Assisting or running Puberty Plus programs since early 2000
  • Lead the development of Puberty Plus Facilitator Manual 
  • Collaborator on Being Boys program development, Puberty Plus online program development, Puberty Plus Handbook redevelopment, and development of Practitioner Training program 

SAM BETTS

SENIOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

  • Bachelor ofĀ  Occupational Therapy
  • Assisting or running Puberty Plus programs since 2019
  • Creating and running additional intensive programs focusing on the importance of both physical and mental wellbeing
  • Collaborator on theĀ  Puberty Plus Handbook redevelopment and development of Practitioner Training program