Friday, August 7
9:00 AM: Opening Remarks and Who Really Knows about TS?: Three Perspectives—Dr. Michael Rubenstein, Dr. Robert King, and Dr. Marla Diebler.
In this interactive session, you will hear from three different practitioners who treat Tourette Syndrome and commonly associated diagnoses (such as OCD or ADD). Learn how a psychologist, psychiatrist, and neurologist help teens with the management of TS and how each of these practitioners offer something a little different from each other.
10:15 AM: Changing your Behavior, Not Yourself: The Uses of CBIT—Dr. Jeremy Lichtman
CBIT is increasingly seen as an effective tool for managing tics and obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors. In this session, you will hear from a psychologist who works with teens with TS and learn—and witness through a demonstration—exactly how CBIT works and whether it might be right for you.
11:30 AM: Where we are From, What we Know, Where we are Going: The Biology, Genetics, and Research Around TS—Dr. Jay Tischfield, Dr. Gary Heimen, and Dr. Caroline Hayes-Rosen
Learn more about what’s actually happening in the brain during a tic, and hear from geneticists and researchers from the Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository, the largest repository in the world conducting cutting edge research on TS. Learn more about the genetics of Tourette Syndrome and how it appears within families, and hear the most current, cutting-edge developments in TS research.
1:15 PM: Sharing her Story: Guest Speaker—Melissa Water
Personal stories of growth and triumph inspire us to live our best lives. Listen to our guest speaker talk about how her Tourette Syndrome has impacted her life and how she became the success she is today.
3:00 PM: Ask the Experts: A Coach Panel on Navigating the Social World
Perhaps no one understands the issues teens with TS face better than those who have been there and walked the walk. Hear our young adult coaches talk about their experiences navigating important issues—such as driving with TS, dating, coping with college dorm life, employment experiences, and more!
5:30 PM: A Conversation with one of the GreaTS—Tim Howard
Join us and hear from one of the GreaTS himself! Tim Howard will share his experience as a teen with TS, what support he had and relied on, and how that has allowed him to have the success he has today.
Saturday, August 8
9:00 AM Speak Out, Rise Up: How to Grow your Message and Tell your Story—Eryn Travis
As TS is often misunderstood, it is critical, as a teen, to find your voice, correct misunderstandings, and self-advocate. Learn in this session the critical skills of public speaking, how to grow your message, and how to use your story and experience as a way to move and inspire others.
10:00 AM: Help me Help you: A Practical Guide to School Accommodations—Staci Greenwald, Esq., Bob Haugh, and Dr. Lisa Cox
Learn some tips and strategies for navigating through high school and into college as a teen with Tourette Syndrome, including understanding and gaining responsibility for your IEP or 504, preparing to carry that responsibility into college, knowing what to expect of your professors, and understanding your legal rights.
12:45 PM Sharing Our Story: Parent and Child—Robyn and Analise Twemlow
Personal stories of growth and triumph inspire us to live our best lives. Listen to our guest speakers talk about how they’ve navigated that as parent and child.
3:00 PM: Ask the Experts: A Coach Panel on Carrying the Message Beyond the Summit
Perhaps no one understands the issues teens with TS face than those who have been there and walked the walk. Hear our young adult coaches talk about the many ways they have carried what they learned at the NJCTS Tim Howard Leadership Academy beyond to advocate for themselves and others.
5:15 PM: Find your Magic—Chad Juros & Closing Remarks
Finding the “magic” in your life is critical to living your best life and being your best self. Hear the inspiring story of survival and strength, wrapped into the entertainment of a virtual magic show.
Teen Social (7:30-8:30 PM)
Driving, Dating, and other Teen Concerns
Managing Tics in Public Spaces
Interviews & Disclosure: Applying for a Job with TS
Self Empowerment & Being True to Yourself
TS & Identity: Overlaps and Intersections