The Complete Guide to Becoming an Autism-Friendly Professional: Working with Individuals, Groups, and Organizations

Based on the award-winning Autism Friendly Training Program, created by the non-profit organization STARS for Autism, this book empowers the everyday professional to a better understanding and skill in working with, interacting with, serving, and teaching children and adults who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

After a thorough explanation of ASD and how it affects children, adults, families, and communities, this guide describes the Autism Friendly Training Program and gives the reader insight into what it means to become autism friendly and to be an autism friendly training presenter. This text will enable those who are neurotypical to gain insight into the person, the stories, and the lives of those with ASD. It is a guide to understanding autism at a deeper level to enable relationship and support processes that define being autism friendly.

Providing the needed information, tools, and confidence to be autism friendly, this book will be beneficial to any and all businesses, organizations, groups, communities, families, and individuals who work with, serve, interact with, teach, parent, and experience life with an autistic person.

Robert Jason Grant, EdD, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Advanced Certified Autism Specialist, and creator of AutPlay® Therapy. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Association for Play Therapy and is an accomplished autism author, advocate, and trainer.

Linda Barboa, PhD, has worked for several years as an educator in the United States and Europe. She has facilitated many autism trainings and is the author of several books about autism. She is currently the executive director of the nonprofit organization STARS for Autism.

Jan Luck holds a degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology. She is the board president for the nonprofit organization STARS for Autism. She is an author and advocate, and has trained hundreds of adults and children in the Autism Friendly Training Program.

Elizabeth Obrey is the vice president of STARS for Autism and currently works as a family advocate while pursuing a master’s in Information Science and Learning Technologies. She is also a parent of children with multiple disabilities.