Region 14 Education Service Center’s 19th Annual Autism Extravaganza is coming up Wednesday, March 1st at Abilene Christian University’s Hunter Welcome Center. This year’s featured speaker will be ExQ founder Sucheta Kamath. We talk with organizers about the event and how it helps people to better understand autism.

An essential ingredient of personal, social and interpersonal success is the ability to adapt with resiliency during changing environment and challenging times. A healthy prefrontal system enables individuals to adjust behaviors, reappraise emotions and redirecting actions flexibly to achieve goals in service of the future-self. Evidence from neuroscience and cognitive psychology suggests that executive function skills are highly malleable and are sensitive to training by cultivating future-forward emotions. In her presentation, Sucheta Kamath will discuss the interplay between core features of autism and executive function and motivational vs self-regulatory challenges experienced by children, adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Kamath will also present early behavioral interventions to improve future-oriented reasoning and emotional regulation that effectively predicts performance challenges, improves anticipation of glitches and handling of mistakes.

The event is open to educators, family members, caregivers and anyone who wants to learn about Autism Spectrum Disorder and how to be inclusive and understanding.

The event is free, but registration is encouraged. Please register at the ESC’s website. For more information, contact the Region 14’s Education Service Center at adavies@esc14.net or (325) 675-8636. This event is co-hosted by Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University, Hendrick Health, West Texas Rehab Center and Workforce Solutions.