Joint

Autism and Understanding Anxiety

About this course

Autism and Understanding Anxiety Anxiety is common among autistic adolescents and is often a rational response to environments that are unpredictable, demanding, or misaligned with support needs. Anxiety is understood as communication, not avoidance, weakness, or lack of resilience. Parents and professionals will: Learn to recognise early, individual indicators of stress and anxiety. Develop preventative, compassionate strategies that reduce pressure rather than escalating demands. Explore cognitively based supports adapted to autistic processing styles and adolescent development. Early, collaborative responses protect engagement, dignity, belonging, and long term wellbeing.

Location

Webinar Online, Adobe Connect

About the trainer

Dr Jo Fitzsimons

Dr Jo Fitzsimons

Dr Jo Fitzsimons is the Head of Specialist Education Services at Learning in Harmony in North-East London. She has a Doctorate in Special Education from University College London (UCL), a MA in Education and postgraduate diplomas in Speech and Language Impairment and Multi-Sensory Impairment (with a specialist MSI teaching qualification).

Her previous appointments have included Deputy Head of School and curriculum management roles.

Jo has also been involved in a wide range of International and European research projects and conferences over the past 17 years offering training, support and advice on various aspects of SEND practice.

Her specialist interests include sensory learning, autism and supporting children and young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).