Self-Advocacy in Work, Relationships, and Public Life
About this course
A Certificate of Completion for 1 hour professional development will be available for you to download upon completion of this course.
Self-advocacy doesn’t stop mattering once school is behind you. It just shows up in different rooms: performance reviews, healthcare appointments, relationships, and the wider world beyond home.
Many adults carry self-advocacy skills they never got the chance to properly build, and find themselves having to learn on the job, in the workplace, in relationships, or in public settings where speaking up feels higher stakes than it ever did before.
This course looks at what self-advocacy looks like across adult life: navigating disclosure and accommodations at work, being heard in healthcare settings, communicating needs within relationships and with family and friends, and holding a public profile or voice with confidence.
Barb Cook, Registered Developmental Educator, researcher, and neurodivergent person, explores how the same foundations of self-determination and self-advocacy carry through into every part of adult life.
What This Course Covers
- Self-advocacy in the workplace, including disclosure and requesting accommodations
- Being heard and taken seriously in healthcare and medical settings
- Advocating for your needs within relationships, family, and friendships
- Navigating advocacy in public life, including holding a public profile or voice
- What tends to get in the way of speaking up as an adult, and how to work through it
- Practical, adaptable approaches for different settings and different relationships
Who This Course Is For
- Neurodivergent adults navigating work, relationships, or public life
- Partners, family members, and friends of neurodivergent adults
- Employers and colleagues supporting a neurodivergent employee
- Allied health professionals and support workers
- Anyone wanting to build self-advocacy skills beyond the school years
What You Will Gain
- Practical strategies for self-advocacy in the workplace and healthcare settings
- Language and confidence for advocating within relationships and with family
- Insight into navigating advocacy in public or professional settings
- A better understanding of what gets in the way of speaking up, and how to move through it
- Adaptable approaches that work across different relationships and settings
This is the third in a four-part Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination series. Each session stands alone, so you’re welcome to enrol in just this one or mix and match across the series to suit your needs.
This training course may be claimable for Self & Plan Managed NDIS Participants. Please check with your plan manager/LAC.
Course curriculum
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Self-Advocacy in Work, Relationships, and Public Life
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Presentation Slides
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Recommended Readings (Books)
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Website Links
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About this course
- $35.00
- 1 hour of video content
- Certificate of Completion for 1 Hour Professional Development
- 60 Days to complete course
Grow your knowledge, starting today
Additional Courses
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The Foundations of Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy: Knowing Yourself & Speaking Up
CourseSelf-advocacy starts with self-knowledge. Explore self-determination, why knowing your needs can be hard, and how to support self-advocacy at home, school and work, for yourself or the people you support. 1 hour CPD.
Purchase$35
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PDA Through the Lifespan: Employment, Relationships, Community and Everyday Life
CourseThis course covers how PDA presents differently in adulthood, navigating work and employment, relationships and the domestic load, admin, money and healthcare, friendship, late recognition, and burnout.
$35
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RSD Through the Lifespan: Employment, Relationships, Community and Everyday Life
CourseA practical course on Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD in adulthood, covering employment, relationships & friendships, community participation, & what actually helps. For neurodivergent adults, partners, employers & allied health professionals.
$35
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Self-Advocacy at School: For the Student, Parents, and Teachers
CourseThis course explores how autistic, ADHD and AuDHD students can develop self-advocacy skills, with practical strategies for parents and teachers to support student voice, autonomy, reasonable adjustments and genuine participation in school decisions.
$35
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What is RSD (Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria)? Understanding the Intensity Behind the Reaction
CourseAn introduction to rejection sensitive dysphoria for professionals, parents and carers. Covers definitions, current research, how RSD affects self-worth and relationships, and why reassurance alone rarely works.
$35
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What is PDA? Understanding the Persistent Drive for Autonomy
CourseAn introduction to PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance / Persistent Drive for Autonomy), covering what it is, how it differs from defiance, the nervous system response behind it, and how it shows up across different ages and settings
$35
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Your Brain, Your Tools: How AI Can Support Neurodivergent Learning and Work
CourseExplore how AI can reduce load for neurodivergent people in learning and work. Covers practical tools, student and workplace examples, assessment, psychological safety, and equitable AI use.
$45
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Autism, ADHD & AuDHD Complete Training Bundle
BundleExplore 27 self-paced courses covering autism, ADHD, AuDHD, PDA, RSD, executive functioning, self-advocacy, education and wellbeing. Research-informed, neuroaffirming training with 53 hours of CPD, presented by Barb Cook.
$599
About the Presenter
Barb Cook, M.Aut.(Ed), Dip.HSc.(Nut)
Registered Developmental Educator | NDIS Registered Specialist Level Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner | Integrative Nutritionist
Barb Cook is a registered Developmental Educator, past Deputy Chair of the Developmental Educators Australia Incorporated (DEAI), NDIS registered Specialist Level Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner, and an Integrative Nutritionist.
Barb was diagnosed with ADHD, autism and dyslexia 2009 bringing a lived experience perspective alongside her clinical and research practice. She is a highly committed advocate, writer, editor, and highly sought-after international speaker. She has made appearances on Australian radio and television, in newspapers and magazines, and in the SBS television documentary The Chameleons: Women with Autism.
Barb holds a Master of Autism degree (education) from the University of Wollongong where she was also a researcher and co-project lead in the area of self-determination and self-advocacy for autistic teens and adults.
Barb takes a holistic approach in working with autistic/ADHD people and is dedicated to improving the overall well-being and quality of life for autistic, ADHD and dyslexic people. She is currently engaged in multiple research projects in the USA including a five year study on A Comparison of Two Brief Suicide Prevention Interventions Tailored for Youth on the Autism Spectrum, Comparing Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy versus Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Autistic Adults, and autism and ageing.
Barb is internationally recognised for her bestselling book on autism in women, Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism with Dr Michelle Garnett, filling the gap in literature between lived experience of autistic women and the clinical knowledge. Barb’s second best-selling book co-authored with Yenn Purkis, The Autism and Neurodiversity Self-Advocacy Handbook: Developing Skills to Determine Your Own Future, is an essential guidebook that gives you the tools and strategies to advocate for yourself in any situation, developing your skills in standing up for yourself, your needs and wishes. Barb's third book, Planning Your Career Through Intense Interests is focused on assisting young autistic adults in navigating careers pathways.
Barb is founder of Spectrum Women Magazine and is a prolific writer on autism, ADHD and health and wellbeing.
Barb is a highly sought-after international speaker and presents on a variety of topics. Barb spoke at the World Autism Organisation Congress 2018 in Houston Texas, in 2019 she was invited by the United States government to keynote a special event “A Woman’s Voice: Understanding Autistic Needs” for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIHM) in Washington DC, USA and 2024 spoke with Dr Temple Grandin, Dr Rebecca Evanko and Taylor Heaton in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA at AutFest on autistic women.
Barb was awarded the “A Different Brilliant” award at the Aspect National Recognition Awards in Sydney and the Leadership Support Award from the Neurodiversity Academy in 2021. In 2017 she received a Special Commendation from Queensland’s Governor, his Excellency, Paul De Jersey for the Autism Queensland Creative Futures Awards.
Barb is a passionate motorcyclist and enjoys roller skating and rollerblading at an outdoor rink near her home, and riding her motorcycle which helps her practice self-care and effectively reduces anxiety and combats depression.
Visit www.neurodiversityhub.com/barb-cook/ and www.barbcook.com.au to learn more about Barb Cook.
Published research:
29 August 2024: Brief Report: Under-Identification of Symptomatic Menopause in Public-Insured Autistic People. Teal W. Benevides, Barb Cook, Laura G. Klinger, Kiley J. McLean, Gregory L. Wallace, Meghan E. Carey, Wei-Lin Lee, Jonas Ventimiglia, Lauren D. Schiff and Lindsay Shea. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06516-x https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-024-06516-x
19 May 2020: Listening to the autistic voice: Mental health priorities to guide research and practice in autism from a stakeholder-driven project. Teal W Benevides, Stephen Shore, May-Lynn Andresen, Barb Cook, Steven S. Coughlin, Dena L Gassner, Becca Lory Hector, and Lisa Morgan. Sage Journals: Autism doi.org/10.1177/1362361320908410 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1362361320908410
11 May 2020: Interventions to address health outcomes among autistic adults: A systematic review. Teal W. Benevides, Stephen Shore, May-Lynn Andresen, Reid Caplan, Barb Cook, Dena L Gassner, Jasmine M Erves, Taylor M Hazlewood, M Caroline King, Lisa Morgan, Lauren E Murphy, Yenn Purkis, Brigid Rankowski, Sarah M Rutledge, Savannah P Welch and Karl Wittig. Sage Journals: Autism. doi.org/10.1177/1362361320913664 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1362361320913664
