Thousands of Feelings: A Sibling Perspective

Facilitated by Pauline, Neil and Kelsey MacLellan

Room: Nauset 3

Session Description: What does it mean to grow up alongside autism—not as a professional, parent, or caregiver, but as a sibling?

In this personal and honest session, two adult siblings who grew up alongside three siblings with autism will share their experiences and perspectives. Through stories and reflection, they will explore the many emotions that can shape the sibling experience, including love, pride, humor, frustration, responsibility, worry, and advocacy.

They will also share what they wish support professionals understood about siblings, how services can affect an entire family, and how seemingly small interactions can leave lasting impressions. Participants will be encouraged to look beyond the individual receiving services and consider the broader family experience, with a focus on thoughtful, compassionate, and person- and family-centered support.

Accompanying: Caring to the End of Life

Facilitated by Jo Massarelli

Room: Chatham

Session Description: In contemporary society, most people who die of illness or debility do so deeply ensconced within the medical model. As a result, even longtime caregivers can find themselves relegated to the back seat of helping at precisely the time when they are needed most.

Many caregivers are unfamiliar with how to attend to the needs of someone at the end of life. This presentation explores how to be helpful during a time when people are at their most vulnerable and offers examples and suggestions for providing meaningful support and companionship.

Participants will gain a greater understanding of the role they can play at the end of life and practical ideas for being present and supportive during this important stage of a person’s life.

Sexual Health and Wellbeing of People with Disabilities

Facilitated by Ken Renaud

Room: Nauset 5

Session Description: This introductory session is designed to increase participants’ knowledge, confidence, and practical skills in supporting the sexual health and wellbeing of people with disabilities. We will explore evidence-informed strategies, tools, and best practices that promote healthy relationships, informed decision-making, and self-determination.

Participants will gain a foundational understanding of how to foster safe, respectful, and supportive environments that empower people with disabilities to build meaningful relationships, exercise personal autonomy, and fully participate in their communities.

Through practical examples and real-world applications, participants will leave with actionable strategies they can use in their professional practice. The session takes a person-centered, rights-based approach to sexual health and wellbeing, with an emphasis on inclusion, dignity, and equitable access to education and support.

The Difference You Make

Facilitated by Nancy and Jonathan Gardner

Room: Nauset 2

Session Description: When you're caught up in the daily grind of a busy shift, it’s easy to feel like you're just checking off boxes on a care plan. But to a family in a crisis, you are never just filling a shift. You are the door-opener, the anchor, and the person trusted with the lives of the people they love most.

In this session, mother-and-son advocacy team Nancy and Jonathan Gardner share their real family story, from severe trauma and isolation in the school system to Jonathan’s sudden, terrifying fight with Ewing sarcoma at age 18. They will pull back the curtain on the moments that made a difference, showing that their turning points didn't come from a fancy clinical model or state program. They came down to a few dedicated people who refused to give up on them.

Through plenty of laughs, video game references, and honest reflection, Jonathan and Nancy will explore what it actually looks like to see the person before the diagnosis. They will share how a simple batch of chocolate chip cookies gave an isolated mom her life back, how a nurse used video games to track pain when standard charts failed, and how a skills trainer helped Jonathan find his own power by volunteering at a soup kitchen.

This presentation is a heartfelt thank you to Direct Support Professionals, coordinators, and leaders who understand the power of human connection. Participants will leave with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of how to build true, lasting relationships. What feels like just another ordinary Tuesday shift to you can completely alter the trajectory of a family’s life.

Trauma and Recovery: The On-the-Job Challenges We Don’t Talk About

Facilitated by Karyn Harvey

Room: Nauset 3

Session Description: The work of a Direct Support Professional can be incredibly meaningful, but it can also come with challenges that aren’t always talked about. This workshop will explore the impact of trauma in the lives of many people we support and consider ways DSPs can help create opportunities for healing and recovery.

We will also look at the impact this work can have on DSPs themselves and why self-care is a critical part of sustaining ourselves and finding success in this work. Participants will have an opportunity to reflect on the challenges of the job, the importance of caring for themselves, and ways to support both their own well-being and the people they serve.

Communication for DSPs: Impact, Advocacy, and Effectiveness

Facilitated by Suzanne Henderson

Room: Chatham

Session Description: Communication is one of the most powerful tools available to Direct Support Professionals. When used intentionally, it strengthens relationships, improves performance, empowers the people we support, and contributes to positive, stable work environments. Yet even skilled DSPs can make communication missteps that limit their effectiveness or detract from their mission.

In this interactive session, participants will explore how everyday communication choices shape their professional performance and the experiences of the people they support. Together, we will examine a variety of communication methods—formal and informal, group and individual, written, verbal, and nonverbal—and consider how each can influence our interactions.

Participants will reflect on their own communication styles, practice scenario-based skills, and explore active listening strategies. Through shared experiences and guided reflection, we will also consider the importance of responsiveness and accountability and how these behaviors contribute to professional credibility, team cohesion, and effective advocacy.

Participants will leave with greater self-awareness around their communication style, personal communication goals, and concrete strategies they can use to strengthen their effectiveness and amplify the voices of the people they support.

Sexual Health and Wellbeing of People with Disabilities

Facilitated by Ken Renaud

Room: Nauset 5

Session Description: This introductory session is designed to increase participants’ knowledge, confidence, and practical skills in supporting the sexual health and wellbeing of people with disabilities. We will explore evidence-informed strategies, tools, and best practices that promote healthy relationships, informed decision-making, and self-determination.

Participants will gain a foundational understanding of how to foster safe, respectful, and supportive environments that empower people with disabilities to build meaningful relationships, exercise personal autonomy, and fully participate in their communities.

Through practical examples and real-world applications, participants will leave with actionable strategies they can use in their professional practice. The session takes a person-centered, rights-based approach to sexual health and wellbeing, with an emphasis on inclusion, dignity, and equitable access to education and support.

Rooted in Purpose: Reconnecting With the “Why” of Direct Support

Facilitated by Marie Younger Blackburn

Room: Nauset 2

Session Description: DSPs often enter the profession because they want to make a difference, but the demands of daily work can make it difficult to stay connected to that purpose.

In this interactive session, participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their professional values, recognize the impact of their work, and identify ways to remain purpose-driven during challenging moments. Through personal reflection, small-group storytelling, and identifying moments of impact, participants will explore the experiences and values that keep them connected to their “why.”

The session will conclude with the creation of a personal purpose statement and a commitment to bring that sense of purpose into daily practice.

A Shared Journey of Spirit 

Panel Presentation with Peggy Cleare, Linda Carreiro, Sharon Costa, Bill Ellis, 

Heather Dextradeur, Bridget Dunn, and Maureen O'Rourke King

Room: Nauset 3

Session Description: This session focuses on the importance of faith and the many ways it can bring love, joy, purpose, and connection to our lives.

Through a panel presentation, four people who receive support will share the contributions they make to their faith communities and what they receive in return. Joining them will be four panelists in a variety of support roles who will share their experiences and the benefits of supporting someone to practice their faith.

Together, the panelists will highlight best practices, explore some of the challenges that can arise when supporting someone’s spiritual growth, and share ideas for creating meaningful opportunities for people to participate in their faith communities. At its heart, this session is about providing unconditional support and recognizing each person’s right to explore and grow their own spiritual life.

More Than Support: Helping People Find Valued Roles in Their Communities

Facilitated by Jack Yates and Chris Joinson

Room: Chatham

Session Description: We all want the people we support to have a chance at the good things in life, right? But how do we make that happen?

Chris and Jack have found that one of the best strategies is to help people build and grow into valued roles in their communities. That means working not only with the person we support, but also looking at where they go, what they do, how they are seen by others, and how other people get to know them.

In this session, Chris and Jack will share plenty of examples and stories about what can happen when we think beyond traditional support and focus on helping people become known, valued, and connected in their communities.

Most importantly, they’ll explore the difference Direct Support Professionals can make in helping people discover and build meaningful roles—and, ultimately, experience more of the good things in life.

Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Wellness & Resilience for DSPs

Facilitated by Peter Leidy

Room: Nauset 5

Session Description: You spend significant amounts of time supporting and caring for others. Does life sometimes feel overwhelming or stressful? Do you find yourself thinking more about the past or future rather than being fully present in what you're doing in the moment? If so, you are not alone.

Mindfulness can help bring a sense of clarity, purpose, and lightness to our minds and spirits. In this session, participants will explore the connection between their own well-being and the well-being of the people they support. We'll learn what mindfulness means, how the practice can affect our brains, and how it can bring kindness and compassion to ourselves and those around us—even in tense or challenging situations.

Participants will experience a short guided mindfulness practice, connect with others, and explore simple ways to bring more calm into daily life, including work meetings, support relationships, eating, walking, working out, and spending time in nature.

The Difference You Make

Facilitated by Nancy and Jonathan Gardner

Room: Nauset 2

Session Description: When you're caught up in the daily grind of a busy shift, it’s easy to feel like you're just checking off boxes on a care plan. But to a family in a crisis, you are never just filling a shift. You are the door-opener, the anchor, and the person trusted with the lives of the people they love most.

In this session, mother-and-son advocacy team Nancy and Jonathan Gardner share their real family story, from severe trauma and isolation in the school system to Jonathan’s sudden, terrifying fight with Ewing sarcoma at age 18. They will pull back the curtain on the moments that made a difference, showing that their turning points didn't come from a fancy clinical model or state program. They came down to a few dedicated people who refused to give up on them.

Through plenty of laughs, video game references, and honest reflection, Jonathan and Nancy will explore what it actually looks like to see the person before the diagnosis. They will share how a simple batch of chocolate chip cookies gave an isolated mom her life back, how a nurse used video games to track pain when standard charts failed, and how a skills trainer helped Jonathan find his own power by volunteering at a soup kitchen.

This presentation is a heartfelt thank you to Direct Support Professionals, coordinators, and leaders who understand the power of human connection. Participants will leave with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of how to build true, lasting relationships. What feels like just another ordinary Tuesday shift to you can completely alter the trajectory of a family’s life.

Friendship, Love, and Marriage!

Panel Presentation with Mr. & Mrs. John Shimkus, Maureen O'Rourke King

Room: Nauset 3

Session Description: John and Cheryl Shimkus met years ago as colleagues at their vocational day program. Over the years they developed a friendship built on personal interests, work and respect. They never imagined that the foundation of friendship would develop into a deep love for one another! John and Cheryl live in Easton, MA and enjoy sharing their love story with others. They are both strong advocates for themselves and others. They are proud of their SRS family and present during New Employee Orientation highlighting that all deserve A Life Like Any Other. They have presented at larger conferences but are especially fond of the Direct Support Professional Conference because they believe in the power of the DSP. 

Communication for DSPs: Impact, Advocacy, and Effectiveness

Facilitated by Suzanne Henderson

Room: Nauset 5

Session Description: Communication is one of the most powerful tools available to Direct Support Professionals. When used intentionally, it strengthens relationships, improves performance, empowers the people we support, and contributes to positive, stable work environments. Yet even skilled DSPs can make communication missteps that limit their effectiveness or detract from their mission.

In this interactive session, participants will explore how everyday communication choices shape their professional performance and the experiences of the people they support. Together, we will examine a variety of communication methods—formal and informal, group and individual, written, verbal, and nonverbal—and consider how each can influence our interactions.

Participants will reflect on their own communication styles, practice scenario-based skills, and explore active listening strategies. Through shared experiences and guided reflection, we will also consider the importance of responsiveness and accountability and how these behaviors contribute to professional credibility, team cohesion, and effective advocacy.

Participants will leave with greater self-awareness around their communication style, personal communication goals, and concrete strategies they can use to strengthen their effectiveness and amplify the voices of the people they support.

Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Wellness & Resilience for DSPs

Facilitated by Peter Leidy

Room: Race Point

Session Description: You spend significant amounts of time supporting and caring for others. Does life sometimes feel overwhelming or stressful? Do you find yourself thinking more about the past or future rather than being fully present in what you're doing in the moment? If so, you are not alone.

Mindfulness can help bring a sense of clarity, purpose, and lightness to our minds and spirits. In this session, participants will explore the connection between their own well-being and the well-being of the people they support. We'll learn what mindfulness means, how the practice can affect our brains, and how it can bring kindness and compassion to ourselves and those around us—even in tense or challenging situations.

Participants will experience a short guided mindfulness practice, connect with others, and explore simple ways to bring more calm into daily life, including work meetings, support relationships, eating, walking, working out, and spending time in nature.

Rooted in Purpose: Reconnecting With the “Why” of Direct Support

Facilitated by Marie Younger Blackburn

Room: Nauset 2

Session Description: DSPs often enter the profession because they want to make a difference, but the demands of daily work can make it difficult to stay connected to that purpose.

In this interactive session, participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their professional values, recognize the impact of their work, and identify ways to remain purpose-driven during challenging moments. Through personal reflection, small-group storytelling, and identifying moments of impact, participants will explore the experiences and values that keep them connected to their “why.”

The session will conclude with the creation of a personal purpose statement and a commitment to bring that sense of purpose into daily practice.