Publication date:
09 April 2015Length of book:
232 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781442244498
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.
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.
From childhood on, Harris knew she was different from other children. . . .Asperger's syndrome had yet to be widely diagnosed, and Harris was labeled by those outside her family as troublesome and uncooperative. In her insightful memoir, Harris recalls vividly her attempts to fit in at school, her search to find a place in the world (which included a three-year stay in a convent), her unhappy marriage, her becoming a mother, and, finally, her successful career as a psychotherapist and advocate. Along the way, she breaks through the usual stereotypes and shares the invaluable perspective of someone on the autism spectrum. Harris is careful to point out the genuine benefits of the syndrome (attention to detail, sensory sensitivity) as well as its challenges and speculates that many talented people have shared this condition. Harris' chronicle is honest and involving and will give readers a useful and uplifting understanding of Asperger's.