Book Studies

Just Human: The Quest for Disability Wisdom, Respect, and Inclusion

Born without sight, Dr. Arielle Silverman has never missed the visual. Being blind never bothered her much, but as she grew, she discovered others saw her blindness very differently. Many people saw her as either helpless or inspirational, but rarely did they see her as just human with the same capacities and desires as her peers.

In Just Human, she reflects on her formative years and presents unique anecdotes from her life that carry teachable moments for all of us. She recalls the feel of her mother’s embrace, the smell of her grandparents’ brisket, the inner sensations of a preteen crush, the music on her wedding day, and scholarly lessons from her dissertation research. Her words paint pictures from her mind’s eye: a vision of a world where we can radically accept ourselves and our fellow humans while at the same time working to change systems of inequality.

One Rule Improv: The Fast, Easy, No Fear Approach to Teaching, Learning and Applying Improv

One Rule Improv presents a fast and easy approach to understanding improv, so anyone who wants to learn, teach, or apply improv to their lives or in the workplace can do so with confidence. This approach works for both the performer and the non-performer, the extrovert and introvert, the enthusiastic participant, and for the person uninterested or apprehensive about improv. One Rule Improv will help you:

• Explain what improv is and how and why it works
• Teach, facilitate, and play the games so the many benefits are achieved
• Apply improv skills and concepts so the benefits of improv are sustained

The Gold Standard Fallacy of ABA: A Reference Guide for Therapists, Educators, & Parents

Have you heard applied behavior analysis (ABA) touted as the gold standard for autism treatment? Are you equipped with the facts to confidently challenge the industry’s “gold standard” narrative? Can you articulate to a doctor, school, or agency why ABA, including the “new and improved ABA,” might not be the best approach for an autistic young person?

The Gold Standard Fallacy of ABA: A Reference Guide for Therapists, Educators, & Parents debunks the “gold standard” myth with concrete evidence compiled from peer-reviewed published research. This reference guide is a powerful tool to enlighten anyone involved in the care, education, or advocacy for autistic young people with the knowledge to confidently question the status quo and cite the research to support it.

Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors

“All behavior makes sense”
‘”It most certainly does not!”, is probably your first reaction.

Parenting and neuroscience expert Robyn Gobbel is here to reveal how all behavior, no matter how baffling, can be explained and remedied. You just need to look past the behavior and understand what’s going on inside.

Robyn decodes the latest brain science into easy-to-understand principles and metaphors to help you become an expert in your child’s behavior. She reveals simple ways to help you regulate and connect with your child, with brain-, body- and sensory-based strategies to overcome day-to-day challenges. She also provides you with the knowledge to understand and regulate your own brain so that you don’t flip your lid when your child flips theirs.

Let this be your lifeline for parenting or caring for any child with baffling behaviors and hidden challenges, including kids who have experienced adversity or with additional needs.

I Will Die on This Hill: Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World

There is a significant divide between autistic advocates and parents of autistic children. Parents may feel attacked for their lack of understanding, and autistic adults who offer insight and guidance are also met with hostility and rejection. 

Meghan Ashburn, a mother of two autistic boys, and Jules Edwards, an autistic parent, were no strangers to this tension and had an adversarial relationship when they first met. Over time, the two resolved their differences and are now co-conspirators in the pursuit of disability justice. 

This book unites both perspectives, exploring the rift between these communities and encouraging them to work towards a common goal. It provides context to dividing issues, and the authors use their experience to illustrate where they’ve messed up, where they’ve got things right, and what they’ve learned along the way.

Connections Over Compliance: Rewiring Our Perceptions of Discipline

The developing brains of our children need to “feel” safe.

Children who carry chronic behavioral challenges are often met with
reactive and punitive practices that can potentially reactivate the developing stress response systems.

This book deeply addresses the need for co-regulatory and relational touch point practices, shifting student-focused behavior management protocols to adult-regulated brain and body states, which are brain-aligned, preventive, and relational discipline protocols. This new lens for discipline benefits all students by reaching for sustainable behavioral changes through brain state awareness rather than compliance and obedience.

Becoming a Trauma-informed Restorative Educator: Practical Skills to Change Culture and Behavior

Maybe you have heard the terms ‘trauma-informed’ and ‘restorative’ – but how do you go about becoming a trauma-informed, restorative educator?

This practical book outlines the values, ideas, and neuroscience behind trauma-informed restorative practice and its proven effectiveness. It clearly explains key theories relating to shame, trauma, and your autonomic nervous system and explains how to apply this knowledge in practice. Examples and stories of restorative practice feature throughout to inspire and emulate, as do practical protocols, tools, and systems to develop your skills as a trauma-informed educator. Critically, it also explains the personal and professional qualities you need to nurture to truly engage in trauma-informed, restorative practice, with reflection points to aid learning and self-development.

Read this book and take your first steps to creating a trauma-informed, restorative classroom – even if your school isn’t doing it!

Listen, Learn, and Grow

Listen, Learn, and Grow is a delightful rhyming story that explores the many ways kids can use their whole body as a listening tool. And here’s a hint: Listening looks different for everyone! (Purchase the Book)

Perfectly Norman

The Big Bright Feelings picture book series provides kid-friendly entry points into emotional intelligence topics — from being true to yourself to dealing with worries, managing anger, and making friends. (Purchase the Book)

My Brother Charlie

From bestselling author and actress Holly Robinson Peete–a heartwarming story about a boy who happens to be autistic, based on Holly’s son, who is autistic. (Purchase the Book)

A Day with No Words

New York Times bestselling picture book and national bestseller!! A Day With No Words invites readers into the life of an Autism Family who communicates just as the child does, without spoken language. (Purchase the Book)