By Ron Sandison On March 9, 2018, I met Malcolm Wang and his mom Karen at the Autism Alliance of Michigan’s 4th annual Navigating Autism conference. Malcolm is a sixteen year old junior at Northville High School who has autism and epilepsy. He is a photographer and self-advocate.    In six…

The doctors informed Holly and Rodney that R.J would never say, “I love you” or participate in sports. By Ron Sandison On March 2nd I met Holly Robinson Peete at the 78th Annual Michigan Council of Exceptional Children Conference (MCEC) in Grand Rapids. I presented a breakout secession on Practical …

By Ron Sandison An interview with life coach and student mentor Caitlin Smith 1. How old were your when you were diagnosed with Asperger’s? I was officially diagnosed with Asperger’s when I was fifteen when my parents finally decided to take me to get evaluated after years of struggle, anxiety, and…

“The “sand” reference came from a statement Noah made before his diagnosis – a clue that the texture of the strawberry jelly in his sandwich bothered him. But over time, it became a metaphor for the messy, inconvenient, uncomfortable things God had permitted in our lives,” Sarah Parshall…

By Ron Sandison Many of my greatest memories are holiday related – the Christmas of 1982 when Santa placed under our tree a stuffed prairie dog — Prairie Pup. My new special interest quickly became prairie dogs for the next eight years. Prairie Pup and I were inseparable until I began middle s…

“My greatest struggle with autism was not having meaningful relationships but being gainfully employment. November is National Entrepreneurship month and I interviewed Dr. Rosalind Bergemann an author, Chair of the Board of Asperger’s Leadership, and Harvard Business School Postgraduate,”…

Some of Grandy’s cool Halloween costumes include dressing as a microwave, a deck, a fire alarm, and this year a tornado. By Ron Sandison When Grandy was three years old, his mother Brittany Miller noticed that he had an unusual interest in fans and light switches. These were the only things …

“When we learn to shift our mindsets to accept, connect and engage in their world’s, it becomes refreshing and feels like a breath of fresh air.” Dr. Alisha Griffith By Ron Sandison I had the pleasure to meet and interview Dr. Alisha Griffith from New York in May at the Navigating…

“I want my audience to look at the individual instead of being SO focused on the next big intervention or technique,” Dr. Karen Clark By Ron Sandison Q. What was your greatest challenge raising a son with autism? Funny that one of the greatest challenges in raising my son who has autism …

“I realized that parents are caring for their children 24 hours a day, but who is caring for them?” LisaMarie Bernardo, CLC Ron Sandison interviews Life Coach LisaMarie Bernardo who is the mom of a son on the autism spectrum. What has been your greatest challenge as a mom of a child…

“I wish people would understand that Asperger’s/Autism does not inhibit individuals from achieving their intellectual and professional potential. Autism presents significant social challenges but can also provide some key advantages such as the ability to process information more quickly, a greater …

Asperger’s Are Us is the first comedy troupe composed of all autistic people By Ron Sandison  On August 3rd at a comedy event in Detroit, I had the pleasure of meeting Ethan, Jack, New Michael, and Noah the cast of Asperger’s Are Us, the first comedy troupe composed of autistic people.&nb…

“When people read my book, will they become more understanding of those who are nonverbal? I hope so,” Kimberly Dixon, author of Under the Silence is Me, How it Feels to be Nonverbal By Ron Sandison On April 29, 1985, Jim and Marilyn Dixon were filled with joy as God blessed their family…

“The best way to have a career you love is if YOU are dedicated to the hard work it will take,” Angela Felice Mahoney, designer of I Can Work curriculum By Ron Sandison As a young adult with autism my greatest struggle was gainful employment. After I graduated with my Master of Divinity,…