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
- To understand the reasons for problems with emotion perception, expression, and regulation for autistic adults
- To know how to adapt therapy to maximise therapeutic effectiveness for autistic adults
- Introduction to a new mindfulness-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy programme for treating depression in autistic adults, and training in key strategies within the programme
- To teach anxiety reduction strategies to autistic adults
- To learn strategies to assist autistic adults to develop a positive self-identity
- To gain an understanding of the pitfalls for autistic adults in achieving and maintaining meaningful employment
- To increase awareness of the issues of substance use, forensic issues, personality disorders, sexuality, psychosis, and gender identity in autistic adults
Module Breakdown
Module 1 – Reasons for the challenges experienced by autistic adults in expressing and managing their emotions are described including genes, learning history and selective memory, alexithymia, different neurology, and difficulties with cognitive empathy (1 hour)
Module 2 – How to adapt therapeutic and teaching methods to the profile of learning associated with autism. Research outcomes on the experience of depression for autistic adults. How autistic adults cope with anxiety including trauma, and resources to help. (1 hour 45 minutes)
Module 3 – The Exploring Depression Programme for mild to moderate depression, but also for stress, anger and anxiety. Increasing self-awareness and sense of identity, developing a positive sense of self, Energy Accounting as a strategy, tools to combat depression and anxiety (1 hour 20 min).
Module 4 – Continuing Exploring Depression Programme for mild to moderate depression, but also for stress, anger and anxiety, including more strategies for managing these emotions as a autistic adult (1 hour 20 min).
TESTIMONIALS:
“I’m now working my way through the second Masterclass I have ordered. And today I ran across a quote that describes my experience as I listen. It references books but is no less descriptive of the 2 trainings. If I one day author material on autism, I hope it resonates in the same way.
By Alfred Kazin, “Every book I read re-stocked my mind with those great friends… They came into my life proud and compassionate, recognizing me by a secret sign, whispering through subterranean channels of sympathy.”.”
“As always, Michelle and Tony delivered a most remarkable and comprehensive presentation with sensitivity, compassion and humour that was both illuminating and reaffirming and at times had me in buckets of tears.”
“Thank you for all your information. I am a parent to a child on the spectrum and have learnt so much from both of you. And understanding just how my own life was negatively impacted by my own social hindrances growing up and being able to help myself and my daughter with the knowledge you provide which is in layman’s terms that even I can understand.”
What You Will Receive
- The Online Course runs for 5.5 hours
- Downloadable Handouts to complement the course
- Certificate of Completion (upon request)
- You may count 5.5 hours toward your CPD hours
- Access to the content for 60 days from the date of purchase (accessed via the Member Dashboard). A once-off 30-day extension is available. See our FAQs for further information.
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