- Live Webinar
Female Autism Masterclass: Masked Presentations, Late Diagnosis & Clinical Strategies – FREE [TEST]
Christina N. Marsack-Topolewski, Ph.D., LMSW
- Live Webinar
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Thursday, September 24, 2026
10:00 AM ET – 5:30 PM ET
Overview:
Boys and men are far more commonly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder than girls and women — not because females have autism less often, but because autism presents differently in females, and most clinicians were trained to recognize only the male presentation. Girls and women learn to mask, camouflage, and imitate social behavior with remarkable effectiveness. By the time they reach a clinician’s office, they’ve often already been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, perfectionism, emotional dysregulation, or personality difficulties — while the underlying autism goes unrecognized for years, sometimes decades.
This 6-hour training provides an in-depth clinical framework for recognizing how autism manifests in girls, adolescents, and adult women — including differences in social communication, relationships, sensory experiences, emotional regulation, and interests. Explore masking and camouflaging in depth, and understand how efforts to fit into social expectations make autism less visible while contributing to chronic stress, exhaustion, and burnout. Learn to identify the common co-occurring conditions that frequently lead females to seek clinical support — including anxiety, depression, perfectionism, and relationship difficulties — and understand how these overlapping presentations contribute to missed or delayed diagnosis.
Through case examples and practical discussion, participants will develop strategies for recognizing less obvious autism presentations and providing more individualized, neurodiversity-affirming care across the lifespan — from childhood through adulthood.Designed for licensed mental health professionals who want practical clinical tools for recognizing, assessing, and supporting autistic girls and women across developmental stages.
Objectives:
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- Analyze common differences in the characteristics and manifestation of autism among females compared with males.
- Identify less recognized presentations of autism in girls, adolescents, and adult women.
- Recognize common co-occurring conditions and concerns experienced by females with autism, including anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, and burnout.
- Explain how masking and camouflaging may affect the recognition, diagnosis, and well-being of females with autism.
- Examine factors that contribute to the misdiagnosis, under-diagnosis, and delayed diagnosis of autism in females.
- Summarize practical strategies and interventions for supporting autistic females and their families across the lifespan.
- Describe how autism may present differently across developmental stages, including childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
- Identify ways clinicians can provide neurodiversity-affirming support while reducing pressure on autistic females to mask or conform to neurotypical expectations.
Scope and Limitations Disclosure
This training is intended for licensed mental health professionals who assess, diagnose, or provide clinical support to girls, adolescents, and adult women who are autistic or may be autistic, including professionals working across school, family, and lifespan care settings. The content is educational in nature and does not constitute clinical supervision, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized case consultation, and it is not intended to replace formal diagnostic evaluation protocols specific to autism spectrum disorder. All assessment approaches, conceptualization frameworks, and interventions discussed should be applied within each participant’s scope of practice, licensure, and applicable jurisdictional regulations, with recognition that diagnostic frameworks and criteria for autism spectrum disorder continue to evolve and that co-occurring presentations, such as anxiety, depression, or emotional dysregulation, may require coordination with other providers for accurate case conceptualization. Participants working with children, adolescents, or vulnerable adults should remain attentive to relevant mandated reporting obligations and should practice in accordance with their profession’s ethical guidelines and jurisdiction-specific standards of care.
Commercial Support Disclosure
Christina N. Marsack-Topolewski, PhD, LMSW, is an associate professor of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University specializing in autism, disability, caregiving, and gerontology across the lifespan. This training does not require participants to purchase any additional products, books, or materials to complete this training. The presenter has no relevant financial relationships to disclose beyond standard speaking compensation.
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Christina N. Marsack-Topolewski, Ph.D., LMSW
Dr. Christina Marsack-Topolewski is an associate professor of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University. She received a bachelor’s of science in Special Education from Wayne State University. She trained under a specialized fellowship at the University of Michigan, receiving her master’s in Social Work and specializing in both school social work and aging from the University of Michigan. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski earned her Ph.D. in Social Work with a dual title in Gerontology from Wayne State University. Professionally, she has worked with individuals with disabilities and their family caregivers for about 20 years. She has also provided counseling services to children, adolescents, and adults in clinical practice settings. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski’s research focuses on individuals with IDDs, their caregivers, advance care planning, service delivery, and service utilization. She has 70 peer-reviewed publications in national and international journals and encyclopedias, mainly focusing on individuals with disabilities, caregiving, and aging. Her work is locally, nationally, and internationally. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski has been the lead on multiple grant-funded programs tailoring services to individuals with disabilities, older adults, and chronic illnesses. In 2019, she was appointed to the National Task Group on Intellectual Disability and Dementia Practices. She serves as both a board member and co-chair of Membership Affairs. Over the past 4 years, she has provided testimony at the state level (Michigan) to advocate for two house bills that would provide protections against exploitation for vulnerable adults, such as individuals with IDDs.
National Approvals
eCare BHI, as the accredited and approved sponsor, maintains responsibility for all the programs and must abide by each board’s continuing education guidelines.
Professional Counselors — The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute has been approved by NBCC as an approved Continuing Education Provider. ACEP No. 6703. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC are clearly identified. E care Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Addiction Professionals — NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute is officially on file with NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) as an Approved Education Provider. They are formally known as NAADAC Provider #139138. Please note that E care Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.
Social Workers — Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute, #1706, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 06-03-2026 – 06-03-2029
CE Broker
CE Broker is a continuing education tracking system in which licensees track their compliance and report their completed CE hours credit (CE Broker Tracking #50-33336, #50-29024). eCare BHI directly reports CE hours to CE Broker for the following licensees:
- Professional Counselors and Mental Health Counselors — Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia
- Marriage and Family Therapists — Florida, Kansas, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee
- Social Workers — Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas, West Virginia
- Psychologists — Florida (Home Study Courses), Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, Wyoming
- Addiction Counselors — Kansas, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina
- Other specialized licensees — Tennessee (Clinical Pastoral Therapist), South Carolina (Licensed Psycho-Educational Specialist), New Hampshire (Pastoral)
Licensees are encouraged to confirm reporting scope with their state board.
State Approvals
States that Accept ASWB-ACE Approved Providers | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut |
| Delaware | District Of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois |
| Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland |
| Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska |
| Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio |
| Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee |
| Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin |
| Wyoming | ||||||
States that Accepts NBCC Approved Courses: | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut |
| Delaware | District Of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Indiana |
| Iowa | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Missouri | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New Mexico | Ohio | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota |
| Tennessee | Texas | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Wisconsin | |
Notes:
- Nevada CPC’s and MFT’s accept ASWB-approved training
- North Dakota Board Of Counselor Examiners LAPC and LAPCS accept ASWB approved training
- Rhode Island Board of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists MHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council LPC and LPCS accept ASWB approved training
- Utah Division of Professional Licensing – CMHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Washington State Department of Mental Health MHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Wisconsin Council on Mental Health LPCS accepts ASWB-approved training
States that Accept NAADAC Approved Providers | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | Delaware | Hawaii | Indiana |
| Kentucky | Maine | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Montana | Nevada | New Jersey |
| New Jersey | New Mexico | North Carolina | North Dakota | Oregon | Rhode Island | Tennessee |
| Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
States that Accept APA Approved Providers | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Delaware | District Of Columbia |
| Florida | Georgia | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas |
| Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri |
| Montana | Nebraska | New Jersey | New Mexico | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma |
| Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | Tennessee | Utah | Vermont | Virginia |
| Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | |||
Note: Please note that Individual Board Rules are subject to potential changes. The approval and acceptance details we furnish are accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of documentation.
Should you have any inquiries or uncertainties not addressed by the provided information, it’s advisable to consult your State Regulatory Board. Ultimately, the decision of whether your license renewal credit hours are accepted or denied rests with you.
Georgia Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselors (ADACBGA) #19-12-17-1212.
Florida Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Florida Certification Board as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselor (FCB) #5387-A.
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy & Mental Health Counseling: The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy & Mental Health Counseling accepts courses from ASWB & NBCC approved providers. E Care Behavioral Health Institute is an ASWB and NBCC approved provider.
Oklahoma Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselors (OBLADC) #20220136.
Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure: E Care BHI is an approved CE provider for LPC & LMFT
Ohio Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselor (OCDP)#50-29024.
Note: eCare’s OCDP-approved courses are for renewal continuing education only and do not fulfill initial CDCA Preliminary or CDCA certification requirements.
The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board accepts courses from ASWB & NBCC approved providers. E Care Behavioral Health Institute is an ASWB and NBCC approved provider.
VA Mental Health Employee: E Care BHI VA COMMERCIAL VENDOR # 81-3353387-01
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP): E Care BHI is recognized by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) Provider Number OS-22-344-0526
Connecticut Certification Board CCB Approved): E Care BHI is recognized & approved by the Connecticut Certification Board.
Texas Certification Board (TCB): E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the Texas Certification Board as an approved education provider. Number 2041-19
South Carolina E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, and Psycho-Educational Specialists licensing board as an approved education provider Provider #4628
New York (MHC) E Care Behavioral Health is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0277
New York (SW) E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0745 LA-ADRA – E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by Louisiana The Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority as an approved educational provider AEP #E122
Who This Training is For:
This program is intended for mental health professionals such as Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, Addiction Counselors, & MFT’s. Psychologists are encouraged to verify if this specific course meets their board’s approval requirements.
CE Guarantee
If you miss the live event or are dissatisfied with the session, we are happy to offer a course credit transfer to another course of equal CE value
Replay Access
After the live session, we'll send you the recording for your own resource that you can review later at your own pace
Interactive Experience
Enjoy your learning experience with engaging activities such as group discussion, vignettes, roleplaying, video demos, etc.
If you're from Florida, Ohio, or South Carolina, we'll report your CEs to the CE broker
How It Works
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Frequently Asked Questions
Once you register for this training, the course will immediately appear in your account dashboard. Inside, you’ll see a countdown timer. And once the scheduled time arrives, the live session will begin from there!
Of course! If you sign up but miss the live session… The recording will be added to your account Dashboard within 48 hours after the live session with an email notification of instructions. You will also receive home-study CE credits for watching the recording.
Yes, we have limited seating on our live webinars to keep the sessions as interactive & engaged as possible. So be sure to claim your spot before it’s too late!
No. Live webinar attendees are not required to take or pass a quiz to receive a CE certificate. (But yes for recorded webinars). You are required to pass a quiz with an 80% passing grade with 3 attempts only for recorded webinars.
Yes, we are approved Continuing Education providers by ASWB, NBCC, NAADAC, APA, & many state boards.
Programs that do not qualify for ASWB, NBCC, NAADAC, & APA are clearly identified. eCare Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
To view all of our board approvals, click here
Live Webinar CE Courses:
- Refunds are only eligible if the refund was requested 48 hours before the scheduled live event.
- If the customer missed the live event, or was unsatisfied from it – We can transfer credits to another course of their choice (with same CE credit amount).
Unlimited CEs for $297/year
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