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MSPA Fall 2026 Webinar
MSPA 2026 Fall Webinar
Friday, October 23, 2026 9:00 AM EST – 12:00 PM EST
“Understanding and Supporting High Masking Autism in Schools: Practice Based Tools for School Psychologists”
Meet the presenter:
Kory Andreas, LCSW-C, is a licensed clinical social worker and Autism &
Neurodivergent Specialist with over 20 years of experience in education and mental health. She worked for two decades as a school social worker and clinical supervisor in Maryland public schools and non-public special education settings with the High Road Schools. Kory now works in private practice, is certified as an AANE Neurodiverse Couples Therapist, and provides autism evaluations and diagnoses in private practice.
A late-diagnosed Autistic clinician, Kory trains clinicians internationally on
implementing neurodivergent-affirming care and has consulted with government agencies including the NSA and the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as treatment facilities, therapy practices, and organizations such as Amtrak. She presents on Neurodivergent topics for PESI and Psychotherapy Networker, and is a regular contributor to Psychotherapy Networker Magazine.
Important Details:
Registration Deadlines:
- Mail-in registration due by October 9, 2026.
- Online registration due by October 21, 2026.
Learning Objectives:
Date & Time
Friday, October 23, 2026
9:00 AM (EST) – 12:00 PM (EST)
Location
LIVE Zoom Webinar
This 3-hour webinar moves beyond stereotypes to help school psychologists and educators recognize the full range of how autism shows up in the classroom, including high-masking presentations that are frequently missed or misread as behaviors, anxiety, or defiance. Drawing on clinical work with high-masking autistic clients, participants will build shared, current, neurodivergent-affirming language for discussing autism, learn to identify traits of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), and walk away with nervous-system-informed intervention strategies.
This workshop addresses the following NASP practice model domains: Domain 2: Consultation and Collaboration; Domain 4: Mental and Behavioral Health Services and Interventions; Domain 7: Family, School, and Community Collaboration; Domain 8: Equitable Practices for Diverse Student Populations
As a result of this training, participants will be able to:
1. Use current, neurodivergent-affirming language and terminology when discussing autism.
2. Differentiate stereotyped presentations of autism from high-masking presentations, and identify how masking is commonly misread in school settings.
3. Identify Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and distinguish it from trauma, oppositional or noncompliant behavior.
4. Apply nervous-system-informed intervention strategies, in collaboration with families and school teams, to
support autistic students.
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and hence the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists recognize MSPA as an approved provider of Continuing Professional Development/Continuing Education (CPD/CE) for psychologists (NASP APS #1002). MSPA maintains responsibility for the program. Documentation of attendance for 3 hours of CPD/CE credit will be provided to certified school psychologists and licensed psychologists who attend the entire workshop and complete an evaluation form. Partial credit cannot be awarded. Attendee join and leave times will be tracked to confirm full attendance. Additionally, webinar attendees must respond to at least two of three polls presented during the webinar. Following the workshop, attendance and poll records will be verified and webinar attendees who have met the attendance criteria described will be emailed a link no later than noon on Monday, October 26, 2026 to complete the evaluation form, which must be completed by November 9, 2026. After submitting that form, the attendee will receive the CPD/CE certificate.
Go to www.mspaonline.org to register and pay online or download the full brochure to mail in your registration form and check to: MSPA Fall Webinar, PO Box 175, White Marsh, MD 21162. Mail-in registrations must be postmarked by October 9, 2026. There is an ONLINE REGISTRATION DEADLINE of October 21, 2026. The Zoom link will be sent to all registrants on October 22, 2026. Your attendance certificate acts as your receipt (monetary receipts are available upon request). Reimbursement requests for registration cancellations will be honored until October 10, 2026. Reimbursement requests after that date cannot be guaranteed.
MSPA does not offer a group registration rate however, employers who register a group of 10 or more will receive 1 complimentary registration. Email the list of names as well as registration forms for each registrant to Tina Wachter at program@mspaonline.org. She will give you the total cost for the registrations.
Persons with questions or special needs should contact: Tina Wachter at 443-672-8288 or program@mspaonline.org.
If you are a member of the Maryland Psychologists Association and attempt to register online, you will notice the cost appears equivalent to the Nonmember registration. Reach out to Tina Wachter at program@mspaonline.org for the coupon code.
MSPA offers reciprocal membership discounts to School Psychologists who live and work outside of Maryland and are members of their respective state school psychologists’ professional organization. If this applies to you, reach out to Tina Wachter at program@mspaonline.org for more information.
Daily Program Agenda:
8:45 – 9:00: Webinar participant check-in and review of important information.
9:00 – 12:00: “Understanding and Supporting High Masking Autism in Schools: Practice Based Tools for School Psychologists“
Get In Touch
MPA Members: Use our coupon code to access the “Members” price. Contact program@mspaonline.org for the coupon code.