Wellbeing Wins: Integrating Positive Psychology into the Autism Community

Learn updates and perspectives on strategies aimed at encouraging positive psychology in the autism community.
Free certificates of participation are available upon successful completion of a brief knowledge quiz at autism.org/pos...
Patricia Wright, PhD, MPH, is Executive Director of Proof Positive: Autism Wellbeing Alliance. She holds a Ph.D. 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. Patricia worked on the design and transformation of a statewide system of support for children with autism for the state of Hawaii, and she also served in leadership roles for NEXT for AUTISM and as the National Director of Autism Services for Easterseals. Additionally, 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. Patricia has advised and provided expert testimony at Congressional Hearings. She is also a frequent contributor in the media, raising awareness of early identification and developmental milestones and deepening the public’s understanding of disability equity, inclusion and access.
Katie Curran, MAPP, is the Chief Wellbeing Officer of Proof Positive, a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading the science and skills of happiness for individuals with autism, and their families, educators, and service providers. Katie has over 20 years of clinical experience working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She held tenure at three of the world’s leading behavioral institutions (i.e., Sheppard Pratt Mental Health Institute, Kennedy Krieger Institute, and Princeton Child Development Institute). She’s widely recognized as a creative force when it comes to autism intervention, developing strategies and tools that fuse Positive Psychology with Applied Behavior Analysis to improve wellbeing. Katie has authored articles on the topics of Goals Setting, Hope Theory, and Learned Happiness. She has served on numerous advisory boards, is a Global Representative at the International Positive Education Network, was a founding board member at The Global Autism Project, and holds a seat on the MAPP Alumni Board at U of Penn. Katie holds a Masters of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelors of Psychology from Towson University. Her unique use of and passion for both the evidence-based findings of positive psychology and principles of behavior allows her to draw out the best in all she works with.