Resources and courses from Kieran Rose – The Autistic Advocate
Kieran Rose has played a fundamental part in shaping current understanding of Autism and Autistic identity, culture and ways of being. He is helping to shift the narrative from one of disorder to difference.
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Kieran’s work in my own conceptualisation of Autism, neurodiversity and neurodivergence so I am pleased to be an affiliate and to help promote his training, books, articles, podcasts and resources to the widest possible audience.
Whether you’re an Autistic person, a parent, or a professional working with Autistic people, I thoroughly recommend Kieran’s work as a place to learn about Autism through a neurodiversity paradigm lens, moving away from the deficit-based thinking of the pathology paradigm and medical model.
Articles
180+ Recommended Autism Positive Books – The neurodiversity-affirming books recommended by Kieran Rose
Autism FAQs – Kieran answers some of the most common questions about Autism including What is Autism?, What is Asperger Syndrome?, What is neurodiversity?, What are learning disabilities?, What are co-occurring conditions?, What is Autistic masking?, What is Autistic burnout?, Why are senses so important to Autistic people?, What are meltdowns and shutdowns?, education issues, What is the best way to support myself as Autistic adult?, diagnosis as an adult or child, What’s the issue with jigsaw pieces?, and What are functioning labels and why is language important?
Autistic Masking and Autistic Burnout – “Autistic Masking and Autistic Burnout are two major components of an Autistic person’s life and the ones least understood.” Kieran looks at how Autistic masking (camouflaging) and Autistic burnout play such an enormous role in the life of Autistic children and Autistic adults, yet despite being two of the most important aspects of an Autistic person’s life they remain largely misunderstood.
An Autistic Burnout – Kieran shares his personal experience with Autistic burnout. This is an incredibly hard-hitting piece with a content warning for suicide.
An Autistic Identity – A deep dive into the importance of Identity and how the medical model of Autism and societal views towards Autism have a huge negative impact on identity.
Autism and Its Labels: Disorder and Condition – Kieran writes about the preferences of Autistic people regarding the terms Autism Spectrum Disorder and Autism Spectrum Condition, and encourages people to make informed choices about their language.
What is Neurodiversity? – Kieran explores neurodiversity; the neurodiversity paradigm; disability; and the centring of ‘normal’.
School Refusal or School-Induced Trauma? Rethinking EBSA, EBSNA, and the harm we call help – Kieran discusses why we need to be critical of the concepts of Emotionally Based School Avoidance and School Refusal, especially in relation to Autistic children.
Kieran’s Full Blog – Delve into a treasure trove of information about Autism and Autistic experiences as read by more than a million people worldwide.
ebooks
180+ Recommended Autism Positive Books – Kieran has compiled an ebook with all the Autism books he personally recommends. These include academic and non-academic titles, and feature a variety of books for adults, late-identified Autistics, educators and other professionals, children, parents and families, and more.
Autistic Masking: Understanding Identity Management and the Role of Stigma – Masking is a form of identity management involving consciously or unconsciously suppressing aspects of identity and action. Often seen in socially marginalised groups, it is found to contribute towards poorer outcomes for autistic people, and is related to higher prevalence of suicidality, exhaustion and burnout, and mental health difficulties. Autistic Masking offers a holistic understanding of the most up-to-date evidence in this field, with the aim of developing solid knowledge and practice in health, education and society.
An Autistic Identity – Understanding Autistic Identity. So much of what Kieran talks about: Language, masking and burnout, the history of Autism, the diagnosis, the near constant invalidation, this need for people to have a paradigm shift at all about Autism, all leads back to one thing: Identity. Specifically, Autistic Identity.
An Autistic Burnout – In this ebook version of one of Kieran’s most read articles he discusses, in great depth, how to recognise and understand Autistic burnout in children and adults as an Autistic person, professional, parent or carer.
On Demand Courses
Browse all courses from The Autistic Advocate
Curating Healthy Lifestyles for Late-Identified Autistic Adults
Moving from an ecology of stigma to an ecology of nurture.
For Autistic people who are identified in adulthood, there is often an experience of deeply-internalised stigma.
This stigma will have unknowingly impacted them in significant ways across multiple domains of their lives; ranging from their identity development, to the relationship they might have with themselves, their bodies, their needs, and also other people.
Autistic Masking: The Basics & Beyond
Kieran and Jodie invite you to explore all things Autistic Masking.
This is a one-off training session delivered by Jodie Clarke (previously Smitten) and Kieran Rose. It was originally recorded live. It is a great introduction to the concept of Autistic Masking.
Incorporating training, discussion and Q&A, this training is focussed towards autistic children and education.
This now a ‘golden-oldie’ of a training, as it was recorded in 2021, but with nearly 800 students worldwide it continues to really popular and is a great introduction into Autistic Masking in children.
Monotropism: Interests and Language and Autistic Spoken Communication
Learn about the ‘Unfiying Theory of Autism’.
The theory of Monotropism (also known as the Unifying theory of Autism) is used to describe the difference between an interest driven Autistic brain with a deep singular focus on things it’s attention is drawn to (Monotropic), as opposed to a non-Autistic brain which can be multiply focused with more shallow split attention (Polytropic).
This on-demand training introduces the theory of Monotropism to describe the Autistic brain and it’s heavy focus on attention. It also explains how attention connects with what are described as ‘special interests’; and how that can present in Autistic spoken communication.
Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism: A Narrative of Stigma
A look into the history and controversies surrounding the Asperger’s label.
This is a powerful 35 minute on-demand session aims to increase your understanding of the Asperger’s Syndrome label and its connection to Autism.
In this training session Kieran looks at the history of the Asperger’s label and why it has been removed from the DSM diagnostic criteria and the future ICD-11.
This session recognises the validity of the label to those who have it, but highlights its problematic nature and the impact it has had.
Meltdowns, Shutdowns and Burnout in Autistic Children and Young People in Education Settings
A look into why educational settings can be so challenging for autistic children and young people
This powerful session was originally made as a presentation to Mental Health practitioners working with school-aged Autistic children and Young people.
In this 45 minute training Kieran looks at the relationship between Meltdowns, Shutdowns and Autistic Burnout with Autistic Wellbeing.
Kieran’s flagship training.
Most online autism training is stereotypical, wrapped up in non-Autistic behavioural-based perspectives and incredibly deficit focused and ultimately useless. It doesn’t have any meaning.
The Inside of Autism is an autism training which strips back those stereotypes, provides insight from multiple Autistic perspectives, is grounded in up-to-date research; and shifts from a centred non-Autistic viewpoint to an Autistic one.
Over 3,500 students worldwide have taken The Inside of Autism.
After this training you will be in a place where you’re able to think critically, and positively, about Autism and what it means to be Autistic.
Reframe Your Understanding of the Autism Narrative
The Inside of Autism is a fully online autism training which gives you access to 8 hours+ of training, the workbook and a selection of resources.
The training will make you sit uncomfortably at first (especially if you are a professional) and is very much designed to challenge you and your current perceptions of the Autism narrative.
It covers six topics which form one complete narrative arc which, when completed, will leave you in a place where you’re able to think critically, and positively, about Autism and what it means to be Autistic.
It is an on-demand training for you to study at your own pace and return back to as you need.
Podcasts
Kieran’s Podcasts – Links to all the episodes of podcasts Kieran Rose has featured on.
Jade Farrington - Neurodivergent Counsellor and Rewind Trauma Therapist 