6 CE Hours
Live on Zoom
Nov 7
9-4p PT
Ethics is about more than following a code. It’s about the relationships we create, the assumptions we carry, and whether the people sitting across from us feel safe enough to tell us the truth.
This course explores what ethical practice can become when we understand the quieter ways harm happens through misunderstanding, masking, misattunement, and the assumptions built into traditional models of care.
We’ll examine how masking, sensory experience, intersectional identity, relationship, and creativity reshape ethical decision-making when working with neurodivergent and gender-expansive clients —and how expressive and relational approaches can help them experience therapy as a place where they no longer have to disappear in order to belong.
You’ll leave with practical (and fun!) expressive arts interventions, a deeper understanding of the ethical complexity when working within these populations, and an intersectional clinical lens you can bring directly into your work with neurodivergent and gender-expansive clients.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Define neurodivergence and gender-expansiveness within an intersectional and clinically informed framework
Describe the impact of masking on mental health, identity development, and daily functioning
Identify at least three ways systemic and contextual factors influence clinical presentation and client experience
Explain the role of expressive arts interventions in supporting regulation, communication, and nonverbal processing in clinical settings
Demonstrate at least three expressive arts interventions appropriate for use with neurodivergent and gender-expansive clients
Apply intersectional, ethical, and culturally responsive considerations to case conceptualization and treatment planning.
Participants will receive:
A certificate for 6 continuing education hours focused on clinical ethics (NBCC Approval No. SP-5360)
Three Expressive Arts Interventions you can use right away
A downloadable course handout and resource list
One hour of scheduled breaks throughout the day
The course is taught by Mandy Parida, MA, LMHC. Mandy is a licensed mental health counselor, educator, expressive arts practitioner, writer, and founder of Different On Purpose. She holds a Master of Arts in Expressive Arts Therapies and Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University and a Master of Music from the University of Kentucky.
For more than 25 years, Mandy has worked alongside neurodivergent and gender diverse children, adults, and families across clinical, educational, community, and expressive arts settings. Her work is grounded in the belief that there is more than one way to communicate, regulate, participate, make meaning, and belong.
Expressive arts are central to her practice. Rather than relying only on verbal insight, Mandy uses image, movement, metaphor, play, writing, and other creative processes as ways of accessing experience that may not fit neatly into language. This intermodal approach deeply informs how she thinks about ethics, access, autonomy, relationship, and clinical competence.
Through her work with neurodivergent and gender-expansive clients, Mandy has become increasingly interested in the ethical questions that emerge when traditional clinical expectations are treated as neutral: eye contact, punctuality, compliance, emotional expression, independence, gender norms, professionalism, and even what “progress” is supposed to look like.
Note: Participants will receive 6 CE hours. The program runs 7 hours, including 1 hour of scheduled breaks, which do not count toward CE hours. CE requirements vary by state; please check with your licensing board.
Accessibility & Accommodations
Different On Purpose, LLC is committed to accessible learning. To request an accommodation, email differentonpurposearts@gmail.com at least 7 days before the program. Live sessions include captions, and cameras are optional.
Completion Requirements
To receive a certificate for 6 CE hours, participants must attend the full live program (attendance is verified through Zoom), and complete the program evaluation and post-test.
Contact
Mandy Parida, MA, LMHC · Different On Purpose, LLC · Seattle, WA
differentonpurposearts@gmail.com · Contact form
Phone and mailing address available upon request.
Ethics Beyond the Norm: Working with Neuroqueer Clients Through Expressive and Relational Practice has been approved by NBCC for NBCC credit. Different on Purpose, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. SP-5360.
After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email. A few weeks before the course, you’ll receive the Zoom link, course agenda, and a brief description of everything you’ll need for the day (including suggested art supplies!).
Participant Policies (Refunds, Cancellations, Complaints, Confidentiality, & Security)
“I would absolutely recommend this training to others. It was well put together, organized, accessible, accommodating and filled with relevant discussion.” — L.W., LPC
“This course is a MUST for clinicians (and all humans!)” — M.F., LMHC
“As an AuDHD clinician, with multiple other identities & intersectionalities, this was personally & clinically validating.” — Anonymous, LPCC
October 2026 participant evaluations: 94% positive satisfaction ratings · 4.78/5 presenter rating (n=9)
A portable expressive arts kit made for experimenting, making, changing direction, getting curious, and finding your own way in.
This is not a craft kit.
There is no finished product your child is supposed to make, no right way to use the materials, and no requirement that what they create make sense to anyone else.
The Art on Purpose™ — Let’s Play! Edition was created for neurodivergent kids ages 8–11 and is built around open-ended materials that invite exploration, sensory play, imagination, movement, and choice.
Sometimes regulation looks like slowing down.
Sometimes it looks like cutting, scribbling, building, ripping, layering, squeezing, moving, starting over, or becoming completely absorbed in an idea.
The kit gives kids somewhere for all of that to go.
What’s Inside
Each Let’s Play! Edition kit includes a curated collection of materials for drawing, painting, building, collaging, sculpting, mark-making, and experimenting.
Materials may include:
Drawing and mark-making tools
Paint and painting materials
Collage papers and materials
Glue, tape, and other ways to attach and build
Tactile and dimensional materials
Found-object and mixed-media materials
Paper and surfaces for open-ended making
Expressive arts invitations and prompts
The materials are intentionally varied so kids can follow what interests them rather than being told what the finished piece should look like.
More Than Art Supplies
Art on Purpose™ is rooted in expressive arts practice.
That means the focus is not on making “good art.”
It is on noticing what happens when we make.
A child might begin with drawing, decide the drawing needs to become a sculpture, invent a character, move like the character, tell a story about it, tear the whole thing apart, and make something completely different.
That movement between ways of expressing is part of the process.
There is more than one way in.
Kids can use the kit independently, alongside a caregiver, or as part of a shared creative practice.
They can follow a prompt.
Ignore the prompt.
Use one material.
Use everything.
Make something tiny.
Make a glorious mess.
Stop halfway through.
Come back three days later.
There is no correct way to participate.
Included with Let’s Play!
The Art on Purpose™ — Let’s Play! Edition is also the kit used in our online Let’s Play! expressive arts group for neurodivergent kids ages 8–11.
Each child who joins Let’s Play! receives their own kit so everyone has access to the same collection of materials while still being free to use them completely differently.
Because there isn’t one right way to make.
The Art on Purpose™ Kit is a thoughtfully curated expressive arts experience designed through a neuroqueer lens - centering creativity, curiosity, connection, and self-expression over perfection and performance.
Each kit includes intentionally selected art materials and original Make Art on Purpose guides that reduce decision fatigue and make it easier to begin. Instead of gathering supplies or wondering where to start, you’ll have everything you need to begin creating right away.
You don’t need artistic experience—only a willingness to be curious.
Art on Purpose™ Kits are included with registration for our 8-week groups.
They are also available as standalone kits for anyone who wants to explore creativity at home independently or with friends and family.
Whether you’re creating on your own or alongside others, the invitation is simple: Make art on purpose.
Every kit includes:
Thoughtfully selected expressive arts materials
5 Original Make Art on Purpose™ creative guides
A Different on Purpose tote
Creative tools selected to reduce decision fatigue and support getting started
A ready-to-create experience delivered to your door
Meet Bombo™ (he/him) —a curious pigeon with a big heart and an even bigger sense of adventure.
Created by a 10-year-old neurodivergent gender-expansive kid and brought to life through Different on Purpose™, Bombo™ celebrates curiosity, authenticity, and the freedom to become who you are.
This soft everyday tee is for kids who know there’s more than one way to fly, more than one way to belong, and more than one way to be yourself.
Every purchase helps bring the stories of Beeno™, Bombo™, Bella™, and their friends to life through future children’s books and creative resources.
🩵🤍🩷 Part of the Different on Purpose™ Character Collection.
.: Made with 100%, midweight (5.3 oz/yd² (180 g/m²)), US cotton that feels soft to the touch and a great choice for any season.
.: Fabric blends: Heather colors - 50% cotton, 50% polyester, Sport Grey - 90% cotton, 10% polyester, Ash - 99% cotton, 1% polyester.
.: All t-shirts come with pearlized, tear-away labels for total comfort and a scratch-free experience.
.: Made using ethically grown and harvested US cotton.
Meet Bombo™ (he/him) —a curious pigeon with a big heart and an even bigger sense of adventure.
Created by a 10-year-old neurodivergent gender-expansive kid and brought to life through Different on Purpose™, Bombo™ celebrates curiosity, authenticity, and the freedom to become who you are.
This soft everyday tee is for kids who know there’s more than one way to fly, more than one way to belong, and more than one way to be yourself.
Every purchase helps bring the stories of Beeno™, Bombo™, Bella™, and their friends to life through future children’s books and creative resources.
🩵🤍🩷 Part of the Different on Purpose™ Character Collection.
.: 50% cotton, 50% polyester (fiber content varies for different colors)
.: Medium fabric (8.0 oz /yd² (271 g/m²))
.: Regular fit
.: Sewn in label (sensory warning)
Meet Beeno™ (they/them) — a character created by an 8yo wonderfully different child for her nonbinary sibling and the upcoming star of Beeno's Bandana— a story about belonging, sensory differences, courage, and discovering that being yourself is worth the risk.
This soft tee celebrates kids who experience the world in their own unique way and reminds us that our differences aren’t something to hide. They’re part of what makes us who we are.
Whether you’re buzzing with ideas, asking big questions, or finding the courage to show up just as you are, Beeno™ is here to remind you: You never have to trade comfort for belonging.
Every purchase helps bring the stories of Beeno™, Bombo™, Bella™, and their friends to life through future children’s books and creative resources.
🩵🩷🤍 Part of the Different on Purpose™ Character Collection.
.: Made with 100%, midweight (5.3 oz/yd² (180 g/m²)), US cotton that feels soft to the touch and a great choice for any season.
.: Fabric blends: Heather colors - 50% cotton, 50% polyester, Sport Grey - 90% cotton, 10% polyester, Ash - 99% cotton, 1% polyester.
.: All t-shirts come with pearlized, tear-away labels for total comfort and a scratch-free experience.
.: Made using ethically grown and harvested US cotton.
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 (Certificate No. 168252, OETI - Institut fuer Oekologie) for safety and quality assurance.
Meet Beeno™ (they/them) — a character created by an 8yo wonderfully different child for her nonbinary sibling and the upcoming star of Beeno's Bandana— a story about belonging, sensory differences, courage, and discovering that being yourself is worth the risk.
This soft tee celebrates kids who experience the world in their own unique way and reminds us that our differences aren’t something to hide. They’re part of what makes us who we are.
Whether you’re buzzing with ideas, asking big questions, or finding the courage to show up just as you are, Beeno™ is here to remind you: You never have to trade comfort for belonging.
Every purchase helps bring the stories of Beeno™, Bombo™, Bella™, and their friends to life through future children’s books and creative resources.
🩵🩷🤍 Part of the Different on Purpose™ Character Collection.
Disclaimer:
.: 50% cotton, 50% polyester (fiber content varies for different colors)
.: Medium fabric (8.0 oz /yd² (271 g/m²))
.: Regular fit
.: Sewn in label (sensory warning)
Meet Bella™ (she/her) —a flamingo who reminds us that beauty grows from authenticity, not conformity.
Created by a gender-expansive 9-year-old and brought to life through Different on Purpose™, Bella™ celebrates self-expression, confidence, and the courage to shine exactly as you are.
This cozy hoodie is for kids who know that being yourself isn’t something to hide—it’s something to celebrate.
Every purchase helps bring the stories of Beeno™, Bombo™, Bella™, and their friends to life through future children’s books and creative resources.
🩵🩷🤍 Part of the Different on Purpose™ Character Collection.
.: The crew neckline along with the tee's classic fit, deliver a timeless style that is perfect for daily use.
.: All t-shirts come with pearlized, tear-away labels for total comfort and a scratch-free experience.
.: Made using ethically grown and harvested US cotton.
.: This blank tee is certified by OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 (Certificate No. 168252, OETI - Institut fuer Oekologie) for safety and quality assurance.
Meet Bella™ (she/her) —a flamingo who reminds us that beauty grows from authenticity, not conformity.
Created by a gender-expansive 9-year-old and brought to life through Different on Purpose™, Bella™ celebrates self-expression, confidence, and the courage to shine exactly as you are.
This cozy hoodie is for kids who know that being yourself isn’t something to hide—it’s something to celebrate.
Every purchase helps bring the stories of Beeno™, Bombo™, Bella™, and their friends to life through future children’s books and creative resources.
🩵🩷🤍 Part of the Different on Purpose™ Character Collection.
.: 50% cotton, 50% polyester (fiber content varies for different colors)
.: Medium fabric (8.0 oz /yd² (271 g/m²))
.: Regular fit
.: Sewn in label (sensory warning)
Different on Purpose™ isn’t just a phrase. It’s an invitation.
An invitation to create your own path, embrace curiosity, and celebrate the ways we each experience the world differently. Inspired by the belief that diversity makes communities stronger, this hoodie is for anyone who believes belonging doesn’t require becoming someone else.
Made for everyday comfort, it’s a quiet reminder that authenticity is something worth wearing.
Part of the Different on Purpose™ collection, where creativity, community, and authenticity come first.
Because the world doesn’t need more people trying to fit in. It needs more people who are different on purpose. 💜
.: The Gildan 18500 is made from a medium-heavy fabric (8.0 oz/yd² (271 g/m²)) made of 50% cotton and 50% polyester. This blend delivers cozy warmth and a soft feel that makes it perfect for chilly days.
.: The classic fit along with the pouch pocket and the tear-away label make for a highly comfortable, scratch-free wearing experience.
.: Made using 100% ethically grown US cotton.
.: OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 (Certificate No. 168252, OETI - Institut fuer Oekologie) certified with low environmental impact.
Make Art on Purpose™ is an invitation to slow down, notice what you’re carrying, and put it somewhere besides your head.
Part of the Different on Purpose™ collection, this hoodie celebrates creativity, reflection, and the quiet rituals that help us reconnect with ourselves.
.: Heavyweight fabric (6.1 oz/yd² (206.8 g/m²))
.: Relaxed fit
.: Pre-shrunk 100% ring-spun US cotton
.: Available in 58 colors
.: Sewn-in label
Journal on Purpose™ is an invitation to slow down, notice what you’re carrying, and put it somewhere besides your head.
Journaling isn’t about having the right words. It’s about making space for the ones that are already there.
Part of the Different on Purpose™ collection, this design celebrates creativity, reflection, and the quiet rituals that help us reconnect with ourselves—one page at a time.
Printed on a soft, garment-dyed Comfort Colors tee, it’s made for morning coffee, therapy homework, late-night thoughts, messy notebooks, and anyone who believes the blank page is a place to begin.
Because every page is a chance to meet yourself with curiosity.
.: 100% airlume combed and ring-spun cotton (fiber content varies for different colors)
.: Medium fabric (6.0 oz/yd² (170 g/m²))
.: Relaxed fit
.: Tear-away label for scratch-free comfort
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