Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Autistic Adults Provider Training (CBT-AAPT)
The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Autistic Adults Provider Training (CBT-AAPT) is a curriculum composed of modules designed to improve the attitudes of mental health providers towards autistic adults, increase their knowledge about autism, and acquire clinical skills specific to autistic adults. The target learner for CBT-AAPT are MHPs without formal clinical training in autism.
The objectives of the CBT-AAPT curriculum for MHPs are to:
- improve the understanding of the needs of autistic adults in a holistic fashion;
- develop the competency of assessing the strengths of autistic adults;
- integrate principles of Strengths-Based Model of Neurodiversity (SBMN) to existing CBT treatment philosophy;
- incorporate new approaches of capturing perceived situations and automatic thoughts from autistic adults; and
- adapt existing CBT interventions to meet the needs of autistic adults.
Collectively, these objectives are aimed at increasing providers’ abilities to engage with autistic adults and deliver the modified form of CBT to autistic adults more effectively.
The essential components of CBT-AAPT include the following:
- Knowledge about autistic adults: differential diagnoses of autism, heterogeneity of the autism population, co-occurring conditions, common challenges in independent living, employment challenges.
- Knowledge about approaches to support autistic adults: co-occurring conditions (anxiety, depression), common problems (emotion regulation, communication), safety, health and wellness, transportation. Modifications to traditional CBT programs adapted to neuropsychological features of autism are discussed. Examples may include visual aids, highly structured sessions, and flexibility in the length and number of sessions. Other modifications include multiple-choice rather than open-ended questions.
- Knowledge about evidence-based treatment approaches: non-pharmacologic treatments, principles behind providing pharmacologic treatments for common problems in autistic adults such as inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, irritability & associated aggressive behaviors, mood symptoms, and anxiety.
- Clinical skills on diagnosis and treatment: through case discussions. CBT-AAPT will include 14 weekly sessions to be delivered to MHPs.
CBT-AAPT is derived from existing literature on autistic adults developed by the course co-director (Gaus, 2019), SBMN developed by the course director (Fung, 2021), strategies to adapt typical CBT approaches to treatment for autistic adults, and materials co-developed by neurotypical and autistic adults. The SBMN adopts the principles of positive psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000) and positive psychiatry (Jeste, 2018), uses the theory of multiple intelligences (Gardner & Hatch, 1989) as the rubric to help autistic adults develop their strengths and interests, and incorporates the Chickering’s seven vectors of development (Chickering & Reisser, 1993) to systematically enhance the development of neurodiverse individuals.
Course Schedule
March 27, 2025 – Course Introduction (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung/Gaus)
1. List core features of autism |
April 3, 2025 – Conventional and Strengths-Based Assessments (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung)
1. Explain how autistic patients are assessed in specialized clinics. |
April 10, 2025 – Orienting Autistic Adult Patients to CBT (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Gaus)
1. Explain how to conceptualize the mental health problems of autistic adults using a CBT framework
2. List guidelines for establishing a therapeutic alliance with autistic adults, practicing neurodiversity-affirming care
3. Identify relevant cases in their own clinical work
April 17, 2025 – Individualized Case Formulation (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung/Gaus)
1. Describe common developmental trajectories of autistic individuals
2. Explain the challenges of autistic individuals in educational and employment settings
3. Describe how to use an individualized case formulation for treatment planning
4. Identify one case to use from their own work as a practice example
April 24, 2025 – Understanding the strengths and challenges of the autistic patient (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung)
1. Discuss approaches to assess the strengths of the autistic patient
2. Explain common cognitive distortions in the autistic patient
May 1, 2025 – Intervention: Issues associated with characteristics of autism (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Gaus)
1. List the major categories of core ASD factors that may contribute to the mental health problems presented by autistic patients
2. Describe modified CBT strategies that can help improve core ASD issues that are impacting autistic patients’ mental health
May 8, 2025 – Emotion Regulation Issues and Mindfulness-Based CBT (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung/Gaus)
1. Discuss case examples of emotion regulation challenges
2. Describe mindfulness-based CBT (“third wave”) approaches that can improve emotion regulation skills in autistic patients
May 15, 2025 – Intervention: Co-occurring Anxiety (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Gaus)
1. List common co-occurring anxiety disorders for autistic patients
2. Describe CBT strategies to address anxiety symptoms
May 22, 2025 – Intervention: Social Functioning (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung/Gaus)
1. Articulate how to apply strengths-based approaches in conducting CBT in autistic patients
2. Describe treatment strategies that can improve social cognition skills in autistic patients
3. Discuss special considerations when implementing CBT for co-occurring Social Anxiety Disorder in autistic patients
May 29, 2025 – Intervention: Co-occurring OCD, Panic Disorders, and PTSD (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung)
1. Contrast between OCD symptoms and stereotypic behaviors in autistic patients
2. Explain common PTSD-related scenarios in autistic patients
3. Describe approaches to address OCD, panic, and PTSD symptoms in autistic adults
June 5, 2025 – Intervention: Co-occurring Mood Disorders (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Gaus)
1. Discuss unique ways depressive symptoms may be expressed in autistic patients
2. Describe CBT strategies to address depressive symptoms
June 12, 2025 – Cultural Adaptations (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung)
1. Explain common approaches to facilitate culturally sensitive therapeutic practices for mental health providers working with adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum and their families
2. Illustrate how cultural adaptations are applied to CBT-AAPT
June 19, 2025 – Termination of Treatment (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung/Gaus)
1. List the common reasons for premature termination and how to address them |
June 26, 2025 – Course Review and Conclusion (LIVE; 2 to 3:30 PM Pacific Time; Fung/Gaus)
1. Describe approaches to adapt CBT in addressing issues associated with core characteristics of autism
2. Discuss at least one case where CBT was applied to address a mental health problem in an autistic adult
Course Dates
March 27 to June 26, 2025
Course Pricing
$2,150 each for individual learners.
$1,900 each for programs with 3 to 7 attendees
$1,650 each for programs with 8 or more attendees
$600 Student/Trainee Rate: The training director's letter of recommendation (LoR) is required.
$600 each for non-professionals
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, Stanford Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit Designation
American Medical Association (AMA)
Stanford Medicine designates this Other (synchronous and asynchronous) activity for a maximum of 21.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibly for the content of the programs.
ASWB Approved Continuing Education Credit (ACE)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Stanford Medicine is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this activity receive 21.0 general continuing education credits.
Lawrence Fung, M.D., Ph.D.
Course Director
Valerie Gaus, Ph.D.
Course Co-Director