Psychotherapy for Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities

Program Information

Cohort Series | Offered Annually | 6-sessions | Thursdays | 12-1 PM Pacific Time

This ECHO program is designed to equip providers with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Through a progressive series of sessions, participants will deepen their understanding of IDD myths and foundational concepts, learn to interpret diagnostic and neuropsychological assessment data, gain familiarity with evidence-based practices, and develop the ability to select and adapt clinical interventions to meet the needs of neurodiverse populations.

Our Team

• Lex Owen, PhD, LMSW. Lex Owen has experience working with individuals with disabilities and their families, older adults and previously incarcerated individuals. She has also worked at the intersection of public health and social work focusing on improving disability inclusion in locality emergency preparedness planning. She is passionate about developing social work students into curious problem-solvers, and seeks to transmit social work values and ethics through her teaching and research. Lex currently co-directs the Family Navigation Network (FNN). Housed within the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities, this program supports families of children and youth with special health care needs to improve healthcare outcomes and increase family-professional partnerships (funded by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services through Grant Number B04MC33852 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and State General Fund and by Award Number 7 H84MC42482‐01‐00 from MCHB).
• Diane Thorkildson, MPH. Diane Thorkildson is currently serving two roles within the College of Education. She is the Clinic Coordinator for the University Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment and the Family Faculty member for NvLEND.  Both projects are supported by the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities.  Diane holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and a Master's Degree in Public Health.  Prior to joining the College of Education, Diane work for several community-based nonprofit agencies providing administrative, grant management, and program development services.  She specializes in developing evidence-based programming and services for vulnerable families and children, especially families affected by addiction, poverty, violence, and disabilities.
• Renee Reveles, MSW, LCSW. Renee is passionate about working with young children and families, beginning her career as a therapist working with children and families, both neurotypical and otherwise. As part of her training, she was able to complete a fellowship in Infant-Family Mental Health which gave me a range of experience in issues particular to this age group such as; attachment, development, sensory processing, feeding, neurobiology and trauma. She enjoys using creative ways to process problems and find solutions, which is why she regularly integrates both play therapy and EMDR into my practice with children.
• Erika Ryst, MD. Dr. Erika Ryst is a Board-Certified Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who completed her general and child psychiatry residency training at the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital and Mclean Hospital Program in Boston, MA.  She moved to Reno, Nevada in 2004 and joined the faculty at the University of Nevada School of Medicine where she became the director of Nevada’s first child and adolescent psychiatry training program in 2006.  Dr. Ryst also helped to develop the HRSA-funded Nevada LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) program, and has served as its interdisciplinary training director since 2011.  In 2015, Dr. Ryst joined the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities in the UNR College of Education to further her work in the field of school psychiatry and developmental disabilities.  In partnership with the Nevada State Department of Public and Behavioral Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Project ECHO, she coordinates a series of ECHO clinics on the topic of First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) and serves as Hub Faculty for the NAVIGATE FEP Psychotherapy clinic and the NAVIGATE FEP Health, Wellness and Co-occurring Medical Disorders clinic. 

Continuing Medical Education (CME) Accreditation

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

 The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

 The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine approves this program for 1.0 hours of nursing continuing education credit.

 The State of Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners approves this program for 1.0 hours of continuing education credit.

 The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine is a provider of continuing education credit through the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy.  This program is approved for 1 hours of continuing education credit for pharmacists.

Presenter Disclosures

As an accredited provider of continuing medical education through the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine must ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all its educational activities. In order to assure that information is presented in a scientific and objective manner, The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine requires that anyone in a position to control or influence the content of an accredited activity disclose all financial relationships within the prior 24 months with any commercial or proprietary entity producing health care goods or services relevant to the content being planned or presented. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated. Following are those disclosures.

All presenters, planners or anyone in a position to control the content of this continuing medical education activity have indicated that neither they nor their spouse/legally recognized domestic partner has any financial relationships with commercial interests related to the content of this activity.