Autism and Understanding Anxiety, Autism and Reframing Behaviour

Autism and Understanding Anxiety

This training course will help parents and education professionals understand the stresses autistic children and young people experience, particularly within the Primary School environment. We will discuss the external environmental demands and stress experienced by many autistic children which can contribute to anxiety experiences.

Participants will understand:

• The relationship between autism and anxiety, and how anxiety affects our body and mind.
• Fatigue and masking in relation to anxiety from an autistic point of view.
• How environmental, communication, sensory, emotional, and cognitive stresses can be supported to reduce anxiety experience within the school environment.
• During the course, we will explore a range of supports and resources which can be used to support an autistic child.

Autism and Reframing Behaviour

This training will introduce participants to the ongoing paradigm shift in understanding behaviour from a physiological perspective, drawing on research from neuroscience, psychology, and interpersonal neurobiology. It will encourage participants to pause and reflect on their current beliefs and reactions to the behavioural differences presenting within their autistic students.

Participants will be supported to consider behavioural differences that are authentic to the autistic student and their invaluable role in maintaining joy in their lives.

Furthermore, participants will be supported to understand the underlying factors contributing to distressed behaviours, and how supporting professionals can help.

Specific topics will include:

• Understanding the ongoing paradigm shift in how we think about behaviour.
• Factors that contribute to distressed behaviour for an autistic student.
• Recognising the significance of neuroception and a sense of "felt safety" in promoting emotional regulation.

Participants will:

• Gain an understanding of the ongoing paradigm shift in how we think about "behaviour" presenting in our autistic children.
• To support participants to recognise their inner biases, judgements and beliefs that may be impacting upon how they support an autistic children in distress.