Staying Curious About Unusual Behaviours

Is this actually a problem? What might the student need and how can we respond?

Live webinar: Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Time: 3:30pm – 4:30pm AEST (Sydney)
Duration: 1 hour
Presenter: Lydia Meem, Clinical Psychologist, Autism Understanding
CPE: 1 hour (certificate provided)
Access: Live attendance + recording and resources

Webinar Summary

Behaviours that look “unusual” or disruptive are often treated as problems to be stopped, rather than signals to be understood.

This webinar invites educators to pause, step back, and approach behaviour with curiosity instead of correction. Led by neurodivergent clinical psychologist Lydia Meem, the session reframes behaviour as communication and supports teachers to ask: What might this student be experiencing? What does this behaviour mean to them? Is this behaviour actually a problem? How can I better support this student?

Rather than offering quick fixes or compliance-based strategies, this webinar focuses on thoughtful, neurodiversity-affirming responses that reduce distress, improve relationships, and support emotional regulation over time.

This Webinar Covers

• Common assumptions about “challenging” or “unusual” behaviours

• Reframing behaviour as communication rather than being naughty or annoying

• Key questions to ask when behaviours arise:

  • Is the student aware of what they are doing? What's their understanding of the situation?

  • Is this actually a problem, or a difference in brain style?

  • What might the student be avoiding, seeking, or communicating?

  • What has changed in the environment or routine?

  • What else might be impacting on the student's capacity today?

• Understanding the role of sensory, emotional, cognitive, and social factors

• Responding in ways that:

  • reduce escalation

  • support regulation

  • preserve student dignity

  • re-establish rapport and build trust after an incident
  • once the student is feeling more regulated, exploring collaborative trouble-shooting of situations and looking for things you can both do differently if needed, rather than enforcing discipline (especially if the student has difficulty connecting their behaviour with delayed consequences)
    

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Come from a place of curiosity rather than judgment around a student's behaviour

• Differentiate between behaviours that need intervention and behaviours that reflect difference

• Identify unmet needs that may be driving behaviour

• Respond in ways that prioritise regulation, safety, and connection

• Reduce reliance on punitive or exclusionary practices

• Feel more confident interpreting behaviour through a neurodiversity-affirming lens

About Lydia Meem

Lydia Meem is a neurodivergent clinical psychologist and founder of Autism Understanding, specialising in neurodiversity-affirming assessment, education, and professional training. A Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists, Lydia has worked with neurodivergent individuals since 1998 and is an internationally recognised speaker on autism and neurodiversity. She provides training and clinical supervision for psychologists and educators, including the Supporting Autistic Students online course and customised training for schoools.

Access & Pricing

• Individual webinar access: $99 incl. GST

• Full 10-part series: $550 incl. GST
  (Includes this webinar plus nine additional sessions in the Engaging Neurodivergent Learners series)

All participants receive access to the webinar recording, downloadable resources, and a CPE certificate upon completion.

REGISTER NOW

Please note: This event is only accessible to people who have paid for registration. Inviting additional staff or persons to watch with you is strictly prohibited without additional registration. For large group registrations, please contact us for group pricing.