An on-demand training from Kieran Rose and Kelly Mahler

If you want to learn about the important intersection of monotropism and interoception, this course is a great place to start. 

Monotropism, which is a common experience for many Autistics and ADHDers, is a term used to describe a thinking and processing style that utilizes a deep attentional focus on a few things at once that are intrinsically motivating or interesting, as opposed to a polytropic experience of attention that allows a person to focus on a broader range of things, though less deeply.

When a monotropic brain finds a hook, or something that pulls its attention, it can be with such immense force that it hurtles the brain through a tunnel of attention—the object of that attention is all-encompassing. This process can at times lead to a state of flow, and enables a monotropic person to explore topics at great depths and complete tasks with high degrees of proficiency. It can also create dissociation from the world outside of the attention tunnel.

While there are many benefits to monotropism, there can be some costs, usually from external factors, but from some internal factors too. For example, if the monotropic experience is not understood or validated by supporters (e.g., family, educators, therapists), it can negatively impact interoceptive felt-safety as well as result in chronic conditioning to override or mask the processing style that the body needs to feel safe and regulated. This course seeks to improve understanding about monotropism, honoring sensory needs, and help supporters get one step closer to providing affirming care that promotes felt-safety and body listening.

This course will also discuss additional impacts of monotropic processing on interoception, including limited attentional resources for internal sensations, especially if they are not a strong enough hook, resulting in missed learning about the inner condition of the body (e.g., noticing and understanding when the body needs sensory regulation or hydration). Additionally, explanation of a deep state of flow and how many interoception needs might not fully reach a noticing level (e.g., noticing the need for toilet, food or sleep).

Several practical strategies for validating monotropic processing, nurturing interoceptive awareness using monotropic strengths and supporting gentle shifts in attention from a current hook to internal needs will be shared.

• What is monotropism? What is interoception? What is the intersection between these two topics?
• The difference between monotropism (deep attention) and polytropism (surface attention)? What do these thinking styles look like, what are the strengths of both, and what does this mean across domains of communication, behaviour, movement, perception, and sensory and emotional processing?
• The interoception impact of living with a monotropic processing style in a world that is not set up to honor this experience (including impact on interoceptive felt-safety and body listening).
• The traumatic impact of a “Monotropic Split” including the energy levels needed to manage the impact of environments that only cater to and require polytropic attentional styles.
• The influence of monotropic processing on interoception, including impact on attention to internal sensations.
• The relationship between monotropism and potential missed learning about bodily cues and needs, such as sensory regulation, hydration, food, sleep, etc.
• Understand the concept of flow state and its implications for interoception benefits and costs, including the potential decreased attention for basic physiological needs.

• Identifying and challenging rigid polytropic practices. What are they and what are the alternatives?
• Validating and supporting monotropic processing
• Nurturing interoceptive learning within the context of monotropic strengths.
• Methods for gently shifting attention from current hooks to internal bodily needs.

• You are serving clients of any age that are, or you consider to be, Autistic and ADHD
• You are an Occupational Therapy Practitioner, Speech and Language Pathologist, Mental Health Provider, Educator or Caregiver who wants to help clients be better understood and supported
• You want to remain on the cutting edge of practice and serve in ways that are in line with the most current science and lived experience
• You want to feel empowered with information you can use to create buy-in for a modern, affirming approach
• You are a neurodivergent person, perhaps a monotropic processor, who wants to understand the most current and affirming supports available in the field

This button will open up Kelly's website and you will be able to complete your purchase the training there. You will then access your training via Kelly's online training portal.

“If you aren’t aware of monotropic neurology, it can be easy to assume that while in a flow state, an autistic person is deliberately disengaged, deliberately not listening, or not paying attention on purpose. This is all classified negatively as ‘challenging behavior,’ but is not the case.” Kieran Rose

Please note: In the video Kieran is talking about the live training, which is what he and Kelly delivered originally. Your version is the recording of the live training, complete with the Q&A and extra resources

"Can you tell how much passion, respect and love was poured into the discussion today about Masking & Interoception?? 

So thankful to Kieran Rose (The Autistic Advocate) for his wisdom and collaboration. 

And a huge shoutout to the live audience that brought lots of curiosity and genorisity."

Course Level: There are no prerequisites for this course. Although you may enjoy the partner training; "Lost Connections: The Relationship between Interoception and Masking"

AOTA Areas: Foundational Knowledge, OT Service Delivery (for US students)
CE Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Define monotropism and explain the relationship of this state to interoception, including impact on attention to bodily needs.
- Recognize the influence of monotropism on the domains of communication, behavior, and sensory and emotional processing.
- Understand the impact of a “Monotropic Split”, including energy levels needed to manage the impact of environments that require polytropic attentional styles.
- Understand the concept of flow state and its implications for interoception benefits and costs.
- Identify intervention strategies to nurture interoceptive learning within the context of monotropic strengths and facilitate shifting attention from “monotropic hooks” to internal bodily needs.
Contact Hours: This course is worth 2.0 contact hours or 0.20 AOTA CEUs.

Training Platform: This training is accessed via Kelly's training platform. If you are an existing student of Kieran's (via his online Teachable school) you won't find this training in there, instead you will need to log into Kelly's platform (and will be emailed instructions).
Completion Requirements: To receive credit and certificate for this course you must listen to the course in its entirety, pass the accompanying assessment with an 80% or higher and complete a course evaluation. With the exception of AOTA-approved CEUs, this course is not approved or affiliated with any governing bodies that award continuing education credits, so continuing education credits are not guaranteed.
ADA/Section 504: If you require special accommodations, please contact us at info<at>kelly-mahler.com
Kelly Mahler is an Approved Provider of Continuing Education for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants by the American Occupational Therapy Association. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

Financial Difficulty: We are committed to offering full or partial busaries for people experiencing financial difficulties. Please email michelle<at>theautisticadvocate.com to find out more.

This button will open up Kelly's website and you will be able to complete your purchase the training there. You will access the training via Kelly's online training portal.

I know not everyone wants, or needs to buy one of my training courses, but I often find people will read one of my free articles and want to say ‘thank you’ (and this is really appreciated as they’re a lot of work to write!) 

Buying me a virtual coffee is a really easy way to say thanks. 

It also supports me to keep being able to create new, free content and also keep my older, free content up-to-date. It also allows me to keep my website ad-free.

My Autism FAQs page is a good place to start if you’re new to my work and want to explore more. Thanks for your support, Kieran.

And, as a thank you for joining, you'll get a 10% off code emailed to you which you can use on Kieran's on-demand autism training

Kieran Rose - The Autistic Advocate; advocating for the Autistic community since 2017 

© The Autistic Advocate - KMR Training 2017 - 2026. All Rights Reserved

Privacy - Terms & Conditions