Autism Reframe

A Neurodiversity-Affirming Training for Clinicians

Building confidence and competency working with autistic individuals

1 in 5 people presenting to a clinical setting may be autistic - whether formally diagnosed or not. Are you prepared to recognize, support, and affirm them in your clinical work?

This comprehensive, clinician-developed course is designed to help mental health professionals build the skills, confidence, and understanding necessary to work effectively with autistic clients across the lifespan. Rooted in neurodiversity-affirming principles, this training moves beyond outdated deficit-based models and instead embraces autism as a natural, valid expression of human diversity.

Whether you’re supporting children, teens, or adults—or just want to deepen your practice—this course offers practical guidance, evidence-informed tools, and meaningful insights to help you show up with clarity, competence, and care.

  • How to recognize autistic clients, especially those who mask or present subtly (“pink flags”)

  • The history and impact of the medical model—and what it means to reframe autism affirmatively

  • Common co-occurring conditions (e.g., ADHD, ID, OCD, tics) and how they show up in therapy

  • Autism in women, gender-diverse people, and late-diagnosed adults

  • The difference between anxiety, burnout, and depression in autistic clients

  • What affirming therapy really looks like, including universal design, adaptations, and modality considerations

  • How to write neurodiversity-affirming documentation and reports

  • Conversations around diagnosis, self-identification, disclosure, and internalized ableism

  • Practical tools, worksheets, and approaches you can apply immediately in your sessions

What You’ll Learn

Developed & Presented By:

Dr. Alex Porthukaran

Dr. Iris Yusopov Rose

Dr. Marie Hooper

MODULE 1: Explore the history, strengths, and sensory experiences of autism, moving from a medical model to a neurodiversity-affirming approach. Learn to use respectful language, support autonomy, and understand the value of both diagnosis and self-identification.

MODULE 2: Understand the diverse needs of autistic individuals at every stage, from early childhood to older adulthood. Explore the impact of identity, masking, relationships, and changing sensory needs as individuals grow and navigate complex life transitions.

MODULE 3: Explore how autism presents in girls, women, and gender-diverse individuals. Examine gendered biases in research and practice, and the impact of late identification and misdiagnosis. Hear lived experiences and consider how ageing and menopause shape autistic wellbeing.

MODULE 4: Delve into the complexities of co-occurring conditions like ADHD, anxiety, and OCD, and learn how to distinguish these from autism. Gain practical tools for supporting clients with multiple diagnoses in a strengths-based, trauma-informed way.

MODULE 5: Explore how to deliver neurodiversity-affirming therapy grounded in trauma-assumed care. This module covers practical adaptations like pacing, visual supports, and sensory-friendly spaces, while introducing therapy models like ACT, SPACE, and IFS through an autistic lens.

MODULE 6: Autistic people don’t exist in a vacuum—this module addresses the systems they navigate every day. We’ll explore self-advocacy, disclosure, accommodations, and navigating school, work, and healthcare. Gain tools to support older adults, address gendered gaps in care, and connect clients with affirming services in their region.

MODULE 7: An in-depth look at Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). Explore how demand avoidance shows up across the lifespan, the impact of traditional therapeutic models, and strategies for building trust and connection.