Certificate in Understanding Autism

This eight module course offers a grounded, human explanation of autism for therapists, parents, educators, and anyone seeking nuanced understanding. It begins with current definitions, spiky profiles, and co occurring conditions, then traces the shift from pathologising views to neurodiversity without denying real challenges.

You’ll step inside autistic sensory worlds and communication styles - including stimming, meltdowns and shutdowns, monotropism, and the double empathy problem - and see how small environmental tweaks can help.

There is a full module on women and girls, covering masking, subtler presentations, and common misdiagnoses, and another on myths and misconceptions. We debunk the idea that autistic people lack empathy, retire the savant stereotype, and explicitly reject the “superpower” narrative, replacing it with a realistic strengths and supports frame.

A side by side comparison clarifies autism versus narcissistic personality disorder, focusing on motives, empathy style, boundaries, developmental timeline, and responses to feedback.

The tone is warm, clear, and practical. You’ll leave able to recognise autistic traits across ages and genders, communicate in more comfortable ways, reduce sensory overload, challenge misinformation with confidence, and advocate for changes that actually help at home, in classrooms, and in workplaces. The final module celebrates authentic strengths and offers concrete next steps and resources so learning translates into everyday action.