Being a professional in the autism field: what the most important tools are (and how to use them)

Gunilla Gerland

Independent Autism Advocate and Speaker

Gunilla Gerland is a Swedish independent autism advocate and an author of several books on autism. She has extensive personal and professional experience of the autism spectrum. For the last two decades she has been working as a staff counsellor in schools, group homes and psychiatric care. She has come to somewhat specialize in working with people with autism and challenging behaviours. Drawing from these experiences she wrote the book ”Secrets to Success for Professionals in the Autism Field”, published in 2013.

A review in Nursing Standard says: ’The sections on empathy, ethics, moral competence and reflection are particularly informative. Entertaining and inspiring anecdotes to entertain, amuse, educate and inform are scattered throughout this book. I give it a ringing endorsement.' And Professor Uta Frith, writes ’Gunilla generously shares her extensive and imaginative toolkit, and above all she shows how a combination of critical knowledge, basic humanity and sound common sense can make special education special.