We have an exciting opportunity to livestream a session at our 2025 International PWS United in Hope Conference! If you haven’t listened to PWS United yet, we have quite a collection of PWS-related episodes, from research to advocacy, family support, and more. We will be recording some of the upcoming conference sessions to share with you all as podcast episodes at a later date. First, we’d like to invite you to join in on the conference from afar by tuning in Saturday, June 28 at 1:15 PM PT | 4:15 PM ET for “Title: Teaching Emotional Regulation in Individuals with Prader-Willi Syndrome: ABA Strategies for Lasting Success,” presented by Kasey Bedard, PhD, BCBA-D, Assistant Professor, The Chicago School.
Description: Emotional regulation is a critical skill for individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), as challenges with impulse control, executive functioning deficits, and rigidity can further exacerbate existing regulation deficits. This presentation will explore why emotional regulation is challenging for people with PWS, and why common strategies for teaching this skill often don’t seem to help PWS children and adults. The presentation will further explore how Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies can be used to effectively teach emotional regulation skills. Attendees will learn a step-by-step protocol for teaching their child this important skill that can be individualized based on their child’s needs. New developments and future directions for better developing strategies to assist children with PWS in developing these skills early on will be discussed. (Ages 5+)
Kasey Bedard, Ph.D., BCBA-D is an assistant professor at The Chicago School, and a practicing Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Bedard’s research focuses on developing behavior analytic interventions and support for individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome using the science of Applied Behavior Analysis. This includes the development and implementation of small-scale single-subject research, as well as large-scale randomized clinical trials to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of various behavior-analytic interventions.
If you’re interested in joining us for this livestreamed conference session, please follow the instructions below. (Please note that the livestream is only available through the Podbean App or desktop browser. A recording will be available later on your regular podcast listening app.)
From Phone:
1. Download or upgrade the Podbean Podcast app.
2. Search for and then Follow the PWS United podcast.
3. When you click on the livestream link, it will take you to the app and you will have the option to add it to your calendar.
4. At the time of the livestream, click on the PWS United graphic (or click on “following” at the bottom of the screen to take you to the PWS United graphic).
5. Click on the livestream at the top of the list of episodes. You will be able to chat in the comment section once the livestream begins.
From Browser:
1. If you do not have a Podbean account, you will be asked to do a “one time sign in” with Google or Apple. Please give yourself a few moments before the livestream to set this up.
2. Once on our Podbean page, click the green play button towards the bottom with the title “Teaching Emotional Regulation Livestream Session.”
3. Again, you will be able to chat in the comment section once the livestream begins.
Here is the link for the livestream on June 28th: https://www.podbean.com/lsw/72a0nTL1Hyj?lsid=glOYVsk8uG0
We will begin the livestream about 5 minutes prior to the session. To join the session easily please save this link or blog post, check out our Instagram and Facebook story shortly before the livestream begins, or navigate to the episodes on the PWS United page in the Podbean app.
We hope you join us in this exciting opportunity to participate in a live portion of the conference. Remember to check out the other PWS United episodes if you haven’t already and please take a moment to leave a rating or review. We are excited to have you all join us at the conference, whether in person or from the comfort of your home.
Jennifer Bolander has been serving as a Special Education Specialist for PWSA (USA) since October of 2015. She is a graduate of John Carroll University and lives in Ohio with her husband Brad and daughters Kate (17), and Sophia (13) who was born with PWS.
Perry A. Zirkel has written more than 1,500 publications on various aspects of school law, with an emphasis on legal issues in special education. He writes a regular column for NAESP’s Principal magazine and NASP’s Communiqué newsletter, and he did so previously for Phi Delta Kappan and Teaching Exceptional Children.
Evan has worked with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA) since 2007 primarily as a Crisis Intervention and Family Support Counselor. Evans works with parents and schools to foster strong collaborative relationships and appropriate educational environments for students with PWS.
Dr. Amy McTighe is the PWS Program Manager and Inpatient Teacher at the Center for Prader-Willi Syndrome at the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Duquesne University receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education with a focus on elementary education, special education, and language arts.
Staci Zimmerman works for Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) consultant. Staci collaborates with the PWS multi-disciplinary clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Denver supporting families and school districts around the United States with their child’s Individual Educational Plan.
Founded in 2001, SDLC is a non-profit legal services organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout the South. It partners with the Southern Poverty Law Center, Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs, Legal Services Corporations (LSC) and disability organizations on major, systemic disability rights issues involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the federal Medicaid Act. Recently in November 2014, Jim retired.