Adapting Family Therapy for Autism (AFTA)

AFTA: Clinical Foundations

Available as a fully standalone online course (6.5 CPD hours).

Clinical Foundations focuses on core clinical knowledge and is delivered entirely online, allowing you to access learning materials with complete flexibility of time and location.

Offering the flexibility to complete as a standalone course, this online training is designed to provide you not only with informed knowledge about autism and neurodiverse families, but also opportunities to examine your own views on autism. To make this learning experience effective, we’ve incorporated a variety of engaging learning materials and activities.

Upon completing this online module, you will be able to view autism through a lens that values neurodiversity and recognise the impact of neurodiversity on communication styles and social interactions within families.

Graduates will receive an ASBA Certificate of Completion, which can be used to claim 6.5 CPD hours toward professional development requirements.

Who Is This Training For?

This foundational course is specifically developed for health and allied health professionals looking to integrate a neuro-affirming, systemic framework into their practice, including:

• Psychologists & Clinical Psychologists seeking to deepen their systemic thinking and structural family approaches.
• Family Therapists & Systemic Practitioners wanting to effectively adapt their existing therapeutic models for neurodivergence.
• Social Workers, Counsellors, & Psychotherapists working with complex family dynamics and support systems.
• Speech Pathologists & Occupational Therapists (OTs) looking to support the entire family ecosystem rather than just the individual client.
• Behaviour Support Practitioners & NDIS Clinicians looking for PhD-validated, non-deficit, strengths-based approaches to family intervention.

AFTA: Practical Applications

Advanced Module – In-Person Workshop.

Practical Applications focuses on practical skill-building and is delivered in-person, ensuring you benefit from dynamic, interpersonal learning and hands-on application.

By completing this intensive, experiential training, you will be able to confidently adapt systemic family therapy frameworks for neurodivergent dynamics and design highly tailored, practical strategies that address the unique needs of each family ecosystem.

This in-person training will be held in Sydney, Australia, toward the end of 2026. Further details regarding exact dates, venue, and registration will be released in the coming months.

Workshop Logistics & Details

• Location: Sydney, Australia
• Format: In-person / Online
• Timing: Late 2026. Exact dates, venue location, and registration access will be officially released in the coming months.
• Prerequisite: Completion of AFTA: Clinical Foundations is required prior to attending this advanced practical module.

Want to secure your spot? Because this module is a live, hands-on workshop, seating will be strictly limited to ensure high-quality clinical supervision and interactive group work (an online option will also be available). Complete your Clinical Foundations course early to receive priority access when registration opens.

Program Designer

Dr Cindy Hsiang