Description
About the speakers

Prof Tony Attwood PhD With a career spanning five decades, Professor Tony Attwood is considered to be one of the world’s foremost experts on Autism Spectrum Disorder. He has an Honour’s degree in Psychology from the University of Hull, a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Surrey and a PhD from the University of London. He is currently an adjunct Professor at Griffith University in Queensland. Tony has written many publications on Asperger’s Syndrome. His original book, titled Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals was published in 1998 and has been translated into over 25 languages.
Tony operates a diagnostic and psychological support clinic two days a week for children and adults. He also spends considerable time travelling nationally and internationally to present workshops and seminars.

Dr Michelle Garnett PhD is a clinical psychologist who has specialised in autism for nearly three decades. Her peer-reviewed research has informed understanding of early detection, the female profile and the importance of good mental health for autistic individuals. She has co-authored six highly regarded books on autism, five with Prof Tony Attwood. Her 2018 book with Barb Cook is a seminal work on the female presentation, Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism. Her most recent books Having Fun with Feelings on the Autism Spectrum and Ten Steps to Reducing Your Child Anxiety on the Autism Spectrum provide guidance to parents of young children on the autism spectrum. She regularly provides training to four Australian Universities.
Learning Objectives
- Understand why autistic children and adolescents have emotion management difficulties
- Recognise how anxiety presents behaviourally for an autistic child or adolescent
- Gain strategies to manage intense anger and meltdowns
- Know how to deal with challenging behaviour
- Understand and support strategies to assist an autistic child or adolescent to overcome depression
- Utilise anxiety management strategies to assist an autistic child to feel calmer at school
Module breakdown
Module 1
Focus: Understanding the behaviour and emotion management problems of autism
Objective: Participants will be able to understand the potential reasons behind emotion management problems and challenging behaviour for autistic children and teenagers. Participants can generate hypotheses about why the individual is dysregulated or defiant and use their hypotheses to inform their behavioural plan.
Module 2
Focus: Recognising anxiety and anger, how both emotions often underpin behaviour problems in autism and how to manage anger and anxiety in the classroom and beyond
Objectives: Participants will be able to recognise high levels of anxiety in their autistic individuals, and the triggers for this anxiety. Participants will be able to establish clear expectations of pro-social behaviour. Participants will be able to understand and begin to plan to implement strategies at home or school to support their autistic child or student.
Module 3
Focus: Explicitly teaching about emotions and social awareness in the classroom and beyond
Objective: Participants can recognise the early signs of escalating emotion in autistic individuals. Participants can explicitly teach social and emotional awareness in the classroom and beyond.
Module 4
Focus: Preventing and managing violent or potentially violent episodes
Objectives: Participants will have a plan to implement strategies for preventing and managing violent or potentially violent episodes with autistic individuals.
What will I be able to do as a result of taking this course?
By the end of the course participants will be able to understand the reasons autistic children and adolescents commonly experience strong emotions (for e.g. anxiety, anger and depression), how these strong emotions present behaviourally, and how to effectively manage strong emotions.
What You Will Receive
- The Live Training runs for 5.5 hours
- There is opportunity for Q&A with Michelle and Tony at specific times throughout the day
- Downloadable Handouts to complement the course
- You may count 5.5 hours toward your CPD hours
- If attending live, morning tea and lunch are provided
- All attendees will be given access to the recording for 60 days after the event (accessed via the Member Dashboard)
- Certificate of Attendance (upon request)
This live course counts for 5.5 hours of Continuing Professional Development or Teacher Accreditation hours. (For NSW Teachers: the course may be recorded as an elective PD with NESA).
Within 24 hours, you will receive an email with your login credentials for the new Member Dashboard. If you haven’t received these details after 48 hours, please email events@attwoodandgarnettevents.com
The email will come from events@attwoodandgarnettevents.com and may go to your junk/spam/promotions folders.
Discounts/Cancellation/Refund Policy Australia
Please Note: The quickest and easiest way to book is online.
Discount: If you are a full time student requiring a discount please enquire about our student rate and send in a photocopy of your student ID card or if you are facing hardship please email events@attwoodandgarnettevents.com to apply for a discount.
For Cancellations: Up to 7 days notice payment will be refunded, minus a $50 administrative fee. At less than 7 days notice there will be no refund, but a credit note with Attwood and Garnett Events for future events, minus $50, will be issued. Attendance is fully transferable.