Download or read book My Autistic Awakening written by Rachael Lee Harris and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2015-04-09 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rachael Lee Harris spent her early childhood locked in an autistic fog until beginning her journey from a fragmented world to one in which things began to make sense. Rachael’s determination to take her place in society led her down many paths, from beauty therapist to Catholic nun, from mother and wife to divorcee and working mom. Today, she is a psychotherapist specializing in helping others on the Autism Spectrum. Rachael’s story explores areas such as schooling, family relationships, employment, travel, and faith culminating in monastic life, motherhood, dating, and marriage. Through her story, we get a more “rounded” positive vision of how an autistic life can develop and insight into the benefits of being “on the spectrum” alongside the very real picture of its challenges. Addressing the culture of disability and negativity that surrounds so much of the public perception of the Autism Spectrum, Rachael presents a more moderate and perhaps more objective assessment of her own life experiences, as well as the potential for others on the Spectrum.

Download or read book Switched On written by John Elder Robison and published by Random House. This book was released on 2016-03-22 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An extraordinary memoir about the cutting-edge brain therapy that dramatically changed the life and mind of John Elder Robison, the New York Times bestselling author of Look Me in the Eye NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST Imagine spending the first forty years of your life in darkness, blind to the emotions and social signals of other people. Then imagine that someone suddenly switches the lights on. It has long been assumed that people living with autism are born with the diminished ability to read the emotions of others, even as they feel emotion deeply. But what if we’ve been wrong all this time? What if that “missing” emotional insight was there all along, locked away and inaccessible in the mind? In 2007 John Elder Robison wrote the international bestseller Look Me in the Eye, a memoir about growing up with Asperger’s syndrome. Amid the blaze of publicity that followed, he received a unique invitation: Would John like to take part in a study led by one of the world’s foremost neuroscientists, who would use an experimental new brain therapy known as TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, in an effort to understand and then address the issues at the heart of autism? Switched On is the extraordinary story of what happened next. Having spent forty years as a social outcast, misreading others’ emotions or missing them completely, John is suddenly able to sense a powerful range of feelings in other people. However, this newfound insight brings unforeseen problems and serious questions. As the emotional ground shifts beneath his feet, John struggles with the very real possibility that choosing to diminish his disability might also mean sacrificing his unique gifts and even some of his closest relationships. Switched On is a real-life Flowers for Algernon, a fascinating and intimate window into what it means to be neurologically different, and what happens when the world as you know it is upended overnight. Praise for Switched On “An eye-opening book with a radical message . . . The transformations [Robison] undergoes throughout the book are astonishing—as foreign and overwhelming as if he woke up one morning with the visual range of a bee or the auditory prowess of a bat.”—The New York Times “Astonishing, brave . . . reads like a medical thriller and keeps you wondering what will happen next . . . [Robison] takes readers for a ride through the thorny thickets of neuroscience and leaves us wanting more.”—The Washington Post “Fascinating for its insights into Asperger’s and research, this engrossing record will make readers reexamine their preconceptions about this syndrome and the future of brain manipulation.”—Booklist “Like books by Andrew Solomon and Oliver Sacks, Switched On offers an opportunity to consider mental processes through a combination of powerful narrative and informative medical context.”—BookPage “A mind-blowing book that will force you to ask deep questions about what is important in life. Would normalizing the brains of those who think differently reduce their motivation for great achievement?”—Temple Grandin, author of The Autistic Brain “At the heart of Switched On are fundamental questions of who we are, of where our identity resides, of difference and disability and free will, which are brought into sharp focus by Robison’s lived experience.”—Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Effect

Download or read book Awakened by Autism written by Andrea Libutti, M.D. and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2015-04-01 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When she was told that her 20-month-old son had autism, Dr. Andrea Libutti was devastated. Therapists said he would never communicate with others, nor would he ever form meaningful relationships. Still, Andrea refused to accept that dim prognosis and instead embarked on a years-long journey of discovery and healing. Using her position as a physician to gain access to a variety of specialists, she explored every promising biomedical and behavioral therapy. Eventually, she came to see that we must consider autism not just from a physical perspective but from an emotional and spiritual one as well. In Awakened by Autism, Andrea distills the results of the research she undertook and relays her personal experiences as she tried one treatment after another in search of a way to help her son. She shares her understanding of the multifactorial nature of autism and the problems inherent in how many health-care professionals view the disorder—all culminating in her ultimate revelation: that each child has unique needs and requires a personalized plan for healing. More than just a practical guide to our children’s health, Awakened by Autism is a starting point for healing ourselves and our world. It calls for a paradigm shift surrounding our beliefs about the possibilities for those with autism, allowing us to uncover their hidden brilliance while taking steps to improve their well-being. With the help of this book, we can heal our families beyond all expectations.

Download or read book Look Me in the Eye written by John Elder Robison and published by Crown. This book was released on 2008-09-09 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “As sweet and funny and sad and true and heartfelt a memoir as one could find.” —from the foreword by Augusten Burroughs Ever since he was young, John Robison longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits—an inclination to blurt out non sequiturs, avoid eye contact, dismantle radios, and dig five-foot holes (and stick his younger brother, Augusten Burroughs, in them)—had earned him the label “social deviant.” It was not until he was forty that he was diagnosed with a form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome. That understanding transformed the way he saw himself—and the world. A born storyteller, Robison has written a moving, darkly funny memoir about a life that has taken him from developing exploding guitars for KISS to building a family of his own. It’s a strange, sly, indelible account—sometimes alien yet always deeply human.

Download or read book Awakening Ashley written by Sharon Ruben and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2010-11-01 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At eighteen months, Ashley Ruben still didnt talk. She wouldnt respond when her name was called; she didnt appear to hear either. She fixated on tiny pieces of dirt and ate only crunchy foods. She was enveloped in a thick fogimpenetrable by everyone except Barney the Dinosaur. She worked puzzles like a kindergartener and was computer-savvy before she was two years old. Her mothers late-night searches on the Internet hinted at a reason for her lack of engagement with the outside world. And then a developmental specialist confirmed it: autism, a diagnosis that shook the foundation of a family and shattered a mothers world. Ashley could hear, but she couldnt listen. In order to address that, a therapy retraining her ears to perceive sound better took her back to the time in the womb where listening begins. With the help of specialized recordings of Mozarts music, Ashley gradually awakened. Her brains desire to communicate was kindled, fostering a connection with her body, her family, and the world around her. Ashley had recovered, developing the ability to talk, to listen, to communicate to become an engaging child. But how could Sharon Ruben, a clinical researcher in her own right, convince the skeptics without clinical trial data to prove the effectiveness of this therapy? She didnt need data. She had Ashleyall the proof she needed. Listen Up! This remarkable story is for every person with a child waiting to be awakened to language and communication. Don Campbell, Author of The Mozart Effect and The Mozart Effect for Children

Download or read book The Passionate Long Walk to the Awakening of a New Life written by Katherine Steele and published by Balboa Press. This book was released on 2018-03-08 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To carve a path in the wilderness in the area of disability and to bring change, requires a compassionate heart and a suit of armour to deflect the arrows. When faced with a problem that others call totally impossible, there is always some part of it within your ability to handle, and often you will be surprised to find that dealing with one insignificant aspect in the complexity of the problem will turn the tide. New forces and sources from out of the blue will rescue you. Step out in faith, one step at a time and you will see a miracle. Katherine Steele is one of the most amazing women I have ever spoken to. Katherines knowledge of Aspergers syndrome is like no other account I have ever read. Katherine brings her reader with her throughout the heart wrenching hills and valleys of a mothers journey through her childs pain as well as a mothers despair. I have never met a woman such as Katherine, and consider myself a lucky person to have been able to read her words as she was creating them. Katherine is an amazing woman who will inspire others when they feel I cant with Oh yes you can love, I did. So many children fall into the autism spectrum, this mothers journey can help so many mothers through theirs. Katherines words tell the reader Yes I understand, I have been there and I am here with you now. A Must Read. Tina Colbert Balboa Press There are heroes in life and having known Katherine and Lourdes, they are my heroes. Their story is captivating, informative and uplifting. Professor Tony Attwood

Download or read book Kids Beyond Limits written by Anat Baniel and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2012-03-27 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the revolutionary way to harness the brain's capacity to heal itself Supported by the latest brain research, The Anat Baniel Method uses simple, gentle movements and focus to help any child, who has been diagnosed with autism, Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy or other developmental disorders. In this supportive and hands-on book, Anat Baniel guides parents through the nine essentials of the method, each one designed to harness the brain's capacity to heal itself -- with remarkable and sometimes immediate results. By shifting the focus to connecting rather than "fixing," this powerful yet simple method helps both children and parents to de- stress, focus, and grow. Most of all, the it helps all children maximize their potential, no matter what their diagnosis.

Download or read book The Autistic Mind Finally Speaks written by Gregory Tino and published by . This book was released on 2020-10-19 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After twenty four years of living in silence, Gregory Tino, a young man with non-speaking autism learns to communicate using a letterboard. By discovering his voice, Gregory teaches us about the disorder of autism from the inside out. He dispels some of the current beliefs of autism, explains the reasons behind many of its common behaviors, and teaches us how we can best handle the challenges of autism. This book is a compilation of his thoughts, experiences, teachings and poetry and is illustrated by his autistic peers. After years of being viewed as having the intellect of a toddler, Gregory has become an exceptionally poignant and eloquent self-taught writer. This book will make its readers laugh, cry, and most importantly change their perception of the misunderstood disorder of autism.

Download or read book Autism Spectrum Disorder written by Susan P. Sherkow and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2013-11-14 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perspectives from Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience, offers a guide to understanding and treating the ASD toddler from the dual perspectives of psychoanalysis and neurofunction through describing in great detail intensive treatments of four children who began therapy as toddlers. The authors hypothesize that dyadic therapy and Reflective Network Therapy can impact a child by modifying the biochemistry of the brain, resulting in alteration of emotion and cognition. Their chapter on neurobiological mechanisms of change describes these hypotheses in depth.

Download or read book Awakening to Autism written by Kirbington West and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2024-05-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you struggle with social cues, maintaining eye contact, "human emotion", or just having a conversation in general? Or what I call my conversations, the "20 Words or Less". If you are anything like me, then you have stumbled upon the right book. In "Awakening to Autism," I, author, Kirbington West take readers on a journey through my own experiences living with autism. From struggling to communicate effectively to navigating social situations, I offer straightforward insight and practical advice for individuals on the autism spectrum. Drawing from my personal experiences and research, this book provides valuable information on understanding the unique challenges faced by those with autism and offers strategies for coping and thriving in a neurotypical world. From tips on communication and building social skills to managing sensory sensitivities, "Awakening to Autism" is a true peace of mind for individuals with autism looking to live their best lives. Whether you are on the autism spectrum yourself or have a loved one who is, "Awakening to Autism" offers insights and tools for navigating the challenges of autism and finding ways to thrive. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to better understand autism and learn how to live to their fullest potential.

Download or read book Gift from My Son written by Keli Lindelien and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Keli Lindelien's son Benjamin was diagnosed with autism, her life was turned upside down. No longer could she function as a family law attorney or juvenile prosecutor. Now she had a new full-time job: taking care of Benjamin. But she wanted to do more than merely use behavior-modification therapies to make him fit in. She wanted to understand him and help him. The diagnosis proved to be the beginning of an extraordinary journey. Combining external research and inner work to enhance her understanding of autism, she searched for and discovered natural medicines and therapies that reversed many symptoms. In the process, she learned to communicate with Benjamin at his own level. Watching carefully, she discovered that Benjamin's condition included not only disabilities but also unsuspected abilities. Ultimately, her observation and experience led her to develop a new theory about the role of left versus right brain dominance in autism. This breakthrough view of autism, told by the mother of an autistic child, includes a comprehensive chart of the progression and reversal of Benjamin's physical symptoms that resulted from a course of natural therapies, tips to parents of autistic children on toilet training and travel, and a description of other resources available.

Download or read book Musings from the Towpath written by David Allan and published by Balboa Press. This book was released on 2024-06-12 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is about my journey navigating through life masking childhood trauma and addiction as well as the challenges of being on the spectrum I was struck by lightening in 1968 aged 7 and feel sure that had some impact on my neurology contributing to who I am Following my path that attempts to face my issues and looking for ways to return to health through various healing modalities and spiritual search to discover who I truly am After a decade of living and working in different communities working and traveling doing a wide range of occupations including voluntary work and care work amongst many others My search took me to the Findhorn Community in the Northeast of Scotland after a series of difficult personal events in my mid 20s that changed my life and began my search I took up running age 46 then Ultramarathon running as a therapeutic response to my addictions and competed in the UKs longest Ultramarathons The journey takes us through my own health challenges exploring ways of healing my deep rooted ancestral patterns and allowing my creative expression in a wide range of craft and music and physical pursuits like yoga and Ultra running

Download or read book Songs of the Gorilla Nation written by Dawn Prince-Hughes and published by Harmony. This book was released on 2004 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This is a book about autism. Specifically, it is about my autism, which is both like and unlike other people's autism. But just as much, it is a story about how I emerged from the darkness of it into the beauty of it." In this elegant and thought-provoking memoir, Dawn Prince-Hughes traces her personal growth from undiagnosed autism to the moment when, as a young woman, she entered the Seattle Zoo and immediately became fascinated with the gorillas. Having suffered from a lifelong inability to relate to people in a meaningful way, Dawn was surprised to find herself irresistibly drawn to these great primates. By observing them and, later, working with them, she was finally able to emerge from her solitude and connect to living beings in a way she had never previously experienced. Songs of the Gorilla Nation is more than a story of autism, it is a paean to all that is important in life. Dawn Prince-Hughes's evocative story will undoubtedly have a lasting impact, forcing us, like the author herself, to rediscover and assess our own understanding of human emotion.

Download or read book I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust written by Valerie Gilpeer and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2021-04-06 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A remarkable memoir by a mother and her autistic daughter who’d long been unable to communicate—until a miraculous breakthrough revealed a young woman with a rich and creative interior life, a poet, who’d been trapped inside for more than two decades. “I have been buried under years of dust and now I have so much to say.” These were the first words twenty-five-year-old Emily Grodin ever wrote. Born with nonverbal autism, Emily’s only means of communicating for a quarter of a century had been only one-word responses or physical gestures. That Emily was intelligent had never been in question—from an early age she’d shown clear signs that she understood what was going on though she could not express herself. Her parents, Valerie and Tom, sought every therapy possible in the hope that Emily would one day be able to reveal herself. When this miraculous breakthrough occurred, Emily was finally able to give insight into the life, frustrations, and joys of a person with autism. She could tell her parents what her younger years had been like and reveal all the emotions and intelligence residing within her; she became their guide into the autistic experience. Told by Valerie, with insights and stories and poetry from Emily, I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust highlights key moments of Emily’s childhood that led to her communication awakening—and how her ability rapidly accelerated after she wrote that first sentence. As Valerie tells her family’s story, she shares the knowledge she’s gained from working as a legal advocate for families affected by autism and other neurological disorders. A story of unconditional love, faith in the face of difficulty, and the grace of perseverance and acceptance, I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust is an evocative and affecting mother-daughter memoir of learning to see each other for who they are.

Download or read book Switched On written by John Elder Robison and published by Random House. This book was released on 2017-02-07 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An extraordinary memoir about the cutting-edge brain therapy that dramatically changed the life and mind of John Elder Robison, the New York Times bestselling author of Look Me in the Eye NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST Imagine spending the first forty years of your life in darkness, blind to the emotions and social signals of other people. Then imagine that someone suddenly switches the lights on. It has long been assumed that people living with autism are born with the diminished ability to read the emotions of others, even as they feel emotion deeply. But what if we’ve been wrong all this time? What if that “missing” emotional insight was there all along, locked away and inaccessible in the mind? In 2007 John Elder Robison wrote the international bestseller Look Me in the Eye, a memoir about growing up with Asperger’s syndrome. Amid the blaze of publicity that followed, he received a unique invitation: Would John like to take part in a study led by one of the world’s foremost neuroscientists, who would use an experimental new brain therapy known as TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, in an effort to understand and then address the issues at the heart of autism? Switched On is the extraordinary story of what happened next. Having spent forty years as a social outcast, misreading others’ emotions or missing them completely, John is suddenly able to sense a powerful range of feelings in other people. However, this newfound insight brings unforeseen problems and serious questions. As the emotional ground shifts beneath his feet, John struggles with the very real possibility that choosing to diminish his disability might also mean sacrificing his unique gifts and even some of his closest relationships. Switched On is a real-life Flowers for Algernon, a fascinating and intimate window into what it means to be neurologically different, and what happens when the world as you know it is upended overnight. Praise for Switched On “An eye-opening book with a radical message . . . The transformations [Robison] undergoes throughout the book are astonishing—as foreign and overwhelming as if he woke up one morning with the visual range of a bee or the auditory prowess of a bat.”—The New York Times “Astonishing, brave . . . reads like a medical thriller and keeps you wondering what will happen next . . . [Robison] takes readers for a ride through the thorny thickets of neuroscience and leaves us wanting more.”—The Washington Post “Fascinating for its insights into Asperger’s and research, this engrossing record will make readers reexamine their preconceptions about this syndrome and the future of brain manipulation.”—Booklist “Like books by Andrew Solomon and Oliver Sacks, Switched On offers an opportunity to consider mental processes through a combination of powerful narrative and informative medical context.”—BookPage “A mind-blowing book that will force you to ask deep questions about what is important in life. Would normalizing the brains of those who think differently reduce their motivation for great achievement?”—Temple Grandin, author of The Autistic Brain “At the heart of Switched On are fundamental questions of who we are, of where our identity resides, of difference and disability and free will, which are brought into sharp focus by Robison’s lived experience.”—Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Effect

Download or read book An Anthropologist on Mars written by Oliver Sacks and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2012-11-14 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the bestselling author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat • Fascinating portraits of neurological disorder in which men, women, and one extraordinary child emerge as brilliantly adaptive personalities, whose conditions have not so much debilitated them as ushered them into another reality. Here are seven detailed narratives of neurological patients, including a surgeon consumed by the compulsive tics of Tourette's syndrome unless he is operating; an artist who loses all sense of color in a car accident, but finds a new sensibility and creative power in black and white; and an autistic professor who cannot decipher the simplest social exchange between humans, but has built a career out of her intuitive understanding of animal behavior. Sacks combines the well honed mind of an academician with the verve of a true storyteller.

Download or read book Label Me My Journey Towards an Autism Diagnosis My Journey Towards an Aut written by Baird and published by . This book was released on 2021-08-17 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ''This is an incredibly important book. A spectacular insight into how girls and women with autism slip through the net, and an inspiring journey of personal awakening. This will be a life-changing read for a great many people, not just those on the autism spectrum'' - Catherine Quinn, Bestselling Author "Francesca Baird's wry but revealing memoir makes a strong case for self-knowledge, as well as further research into the heavily misunderstood condition of female autism. By turns hilarious and melancholy, Label Me should offer encouragement, not only to autistic women, but to any reader who is neuroatypical and trying to understand their own behaviour and feelings'' - Gavin Boyter, Author & Filmmaker "From an early age, I felt different. I had unusual obsessions, and didn't feel I fitted in with the other girls. Others saw me as a shy girl, who functioned well, but internally I was consumed by anxieties... But I did what I had to do to fit into the normal world..." Francesca was diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder at the age of 32, having spent many years searching for answers (and being misdiagnosed numerous times along the way). Autism in girls like her is often overlooked, partly because they tend to be better at "masking" their autistic traits than boys. This is the story of how she came to recognise that she was "different", how she coped with the anxiety, emotional suppression, and self-destructive addictions she experienced, and how finding a "label" helped her to understand her life in a new way.