(This is a LIVE VIRTUAL event. Access to a recording will not be available.)

Presented by

Stacey Billups, LMSW

Mental health professionals working with autistic children and youth often need practical, engaging approaches to support emotional regulation and meaningful connection. This session will explore the core challenges of autism and the signs and symptoms of emotional dysregulation for autistic individuals and demonstrate how creative, arts-based tools can be used to address perspective-taking, sensory processing, and problem-solving. Participants will leave with a printable activities guide and evidence-informed, hands-on strategies to promote physical and emotional regulation, increase self-awareness and flexibility, and reduce the frequency and duration of emotional dysregulation. As demand for developmentally responsive and neurodiversity-affirming care grows, this training equips providers with creative tools that enhance engagement, strengthen social connection, and improve outcomes for autistic children and youth.

Learning Objectives
As a result of attending this course, learners will be able to:

1. Define the rage cycle and identify common signs of emotional dysregulation in autistic children and youth.
2. Explain factors that contribute to emotional dysregulation and the impact on behavior and functioning.
3. Apply evidence-informed strategies to support emotional regulation and reduce the intensity and duration of dysregulated behaviors.
4. Implement creative, arts-based interventions to help children and youth in care regulate emotions and behavior in therapeutic and care settings.

About Stacey Billups

Stacey Billups, LMSW is a licensed master social worker, training consultant, and professional artist with over 25 years of experience supporting the mental health and social-emotional development of children and adolescents. Her work centers on equipping educators, clinicians, and direct support professionals with practical, trauma-informed, and creative strategies that strengthen emotional regulation, resilience, and well-being in youth-serving settings.

Stacey has extensive expertise in designing and facilitating professional trainings on child and adolescent mental health, trauma-informed care, social-emotional learning, and arts-based interventions. Her workshops blend evidence-based practice with experiential learning, offering participants accessible tools that support both client outcomes and practitioner sustainability. She is particularly skilled at translating complex clinical concepts into engaging, hands-on learning experiences that resonate across disciplines.

Currently, Stacey serves as a School Social Worker with the New York City Department of Education, where she has worked since 2003. In this role, she provides individual, group, and family therapy, conducts assessments and crisis interventions, and develops treatment plans that address the emotional and behavioral needs impacting student success. As the ASD Nest social worker, she delivers specialized support to autistic students and consults with educators to create inclusive, responsive learning environments. Stacey also leads trainings for teachers, staff, and families focused on mental health awareness, autism, emotional regulation, and creative interventions.

In addition to her clinical and training work, Stacey is a professional artist whose studio practice informs her approach to healing and education. She thoughtfully integrates visual art and creative expression into her trainings, offering non-verbal and sensory-based tools that are especially effective for children and youth with trauma histories.

Stacey holds a Master of Social Work from Howard University, a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of the District of Columbia, and a permanent certification as a School Social Worker in New York State. She is licensed as an LMSW and is committed to advancing compassionate, creative, and trauma-informed practice through professional education and consultation.