Families living with neurological and learning disorders don’t have to travel far to interact with leading experts. They can do it from the comfort of their living room through the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome & Associated Disorders’ (NJCTS) Wednesday Webinar Series.
The web-based teleconferences bring leaders in the field of medicine, education and psychology to audiences from around the world — a service Somerville, N.J.-based NJCTS began in 2008.
“We started the series to connect families, teachers and clinicians to speakers who would shed light on the issues surrounding life with a diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome,” NJCTS Executive Director Faith W. Rice said. “Today, through the Wednesday Webinar series, we explore strategies and techniques to enhance life for people with Tourette, obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression and other challenges.”
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by uncontrollable motor movements and vocalizations known as tics. TS is an inherited disorder affecting as many as 1 in 100 people.
NJCTS established the program’s format in 2008 — participants pre-register online and are given a link to sign-on for the live seminar. At the conclusion of the each presentation, audience members are invited to ask questions of the expert on the call. Expert presenters also answer questions through an online discussion board for one week after their Wednesday Webinar. All past programs are archived for viewing as well.
Parents, family members, educators and health-care providers are encouraged to attend each Wednesday Webinar — and are invited to do so at no cost; professional development certificates for educators are available at a nominal cost.
“Part of our mission is to provide the best and most up-to-date information about these conditions to anyone who cares for and works with people living with these types of challenges,” Rice said. “We’re proud to present the Wednesday Webinar series because it’s a format that is reaching people worldwide.”
Upcoming topics include:
May 21
“OCD in Young Children”
Presented by Joelle McGovern, Ph.D. – University of Pennsylvania
7:30 to 8:30 p.m. EST
Click here to register
June 18
“Creative Applications of Exposure Therapy and Habit Reversal Therapy”
Presented by Hilary Dingfelder, Ph.D. – University of Pennsylvania
7:30 to 8:30 p.m. EST
Click here to register
July 9
“Sports-Related Brain Injury”
Presented by Mark Mintz, MD – The Center for Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Health
7:30 to 8:30 p.m. EST
Click here to register
The Wednesday Webinar archive, including a list of all previous presentations, is available at any time and is updated with 24-48 hours after each webinar. For more information about Tourette Syndrome and the programs and services offered by NJCTS, call 908-575-7350 or visit www.njcts.org.
