ACT for Autism: A Neuroaffirming Approach FAQs

No. If you’re a relative newcomer to ACT, it’s wise to do the ACT For Beginners course first, to build your foundational knowledge and develop the core skills.  But it’s not absolutely essential.

For a start, you’ll get 12 weeks of direct interaction with Dr Russ Harris, the world’s leading ACT trainer. He’ll be there on the forum almost every day, to answer questions, give guidance, and provide extra resources. 

That aside, Russ’s trainings are famous for being fun, playful, entertaining, and incredibly practical; easy to understand and simple to implement.  Based on cutting edge research, his training is clear, engaging, and designed for real-world clinical application (as opposed to dry academic theory). He’ll teach you, step-by-step, how to deliver structured, compassionate therapy that helps clients build richer, fuller lives.

Yes, definitely! ACT for Autism is 100% aligned with The Neurodiversity Movement. It encourages practitioners to accept & appreciate neurodivergence as a valuable way of being, practice with authenticity & humility, communicate flexibly while catering for sensory needs, adopt the social model of disability, utilise neurodivergent strengths, and create a safe space where client is allowed to be their authentic self.

Absolutely! Autistic burnout is a complex issue that many clients present with. ACT for Autism takes you step-by-step through a compassionate, realistic, values-based approach to burnout – including everything from ‘pacing and resting’ strategies to conserve and spend energy wisely, to flexible unmasking, self-compassion and self-advocacy.

It sure will. ACT for Autism provides you with structured, practical skills and strategies for working with every stage of meltdowns and shutdowns: how to predict, plan for and prevent them; if they’ve already started, how to offer compassionate support; how to help clients interrupt, settle and self-soothe themselves;  and how to best foster recovery.

Yes, for sure. Many autistic clients struggle to notice and name their emotions. ACT for Autism will give you practical, science-based strategies to raise interoceptive awareness and improve emotional literacy.

Yes, it is. But it’s not enough by itself. If you have clients with AuDHD (features of both autism and ADHD), we recommend you do both ACT for ADHD and this course, ACT for Autism. (It doesn’t matter which order you do them in.)

ACT for Autism is accredited for 14 CE/CME hours. View the full learner notification for this course (PDF) - includes complete accreditation statements, state board acceptance lists, learning objectives and faculty disclosures.
Participants will also receive at certificate of completion at the end of their course, which can be submitted to registration bodies for CPD.