Neurodiversity

A Humorous and Practical Guide to Living with ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Dyslexia, the Gays, and Everyone Else

By: Barb Rentenbach, Lois Prislovsky PhD

Narrated by: Chad Dougatz, Lois Prislovsky PhD, Carol Riggs Holloway, John Bond, Jery Yarber

Neurodiversity is the fact that neurological differences like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, etc., are natural human variations that have real benefits. The neurodiversity movement which values such human differences that were traditionally pathologized is gaining speed and no way do these authors want that train to go back to the station. Mule and Muse Productions (a fancy name for Lois and Barb respectively) is proud to contribute steam with this book written by Barb and Lois alternating chapters. Barb is a non-verbal autistic who is disguised as a poor thinker, because her body does not reliably respond to what her brilliant mind tells it. She needs round-the-clock assistance to help her do basic things, so people make all kinds of assumptions about her intelligence. But Barb found a way to earn a career, friends, a boyfriend, respect, and a fulfilling life. Barb types one letter at a time painstakingly communicating her humanity and working "to make neurodiversity as common as juice stains in minivans".

Her last book, which took 10 years to peck out, was about shattering pity with purpose. This book took four years. Like the neurodiversity movement, Barb's wit is gaining momentum. She typed, "Autism is my prism not my prison." This book is about creating equality with perspective and Barb gets "to play the normal this trip" as Lois has more of the traits in the title than Barb.

Lois is an educational psychologist with real world stamina and training and a refreshingly powerful sense of humor. Lois writes about actual client experiences, psychological and neurological research and much of her own trials and errors to share what she has learned about ADHD, anxiety, autism, dyslexia, and homosexuality. The authors hope to entertain and educate listeners about how different people think, and why to encourage us all to lean in to our strengths.

©2016 Barb Rentenbach and Lois Prislovsky (P)2016 Barb Rentenbach and Lois Prislovsky

A very personable book.

I liked that the view was made by those who have autism. It was a personable book.

Very Confusing

The voice narration is good, the book is not what it indicates it is at all. I expected either stories from/about various people and how they used their neurodiversity to excel or straight up advice. I got neither. The book switches back and forth between narration by Barb about her life and Lois, at first about her life and Barb and then about her clients, and then advice about anxiety, for instance. Each chapter is either Barb or Lois and they switch back and forth so there is no narrative flow. I found it impossible to follow.

FC isn't backed by science

I read this for a class in graduate school and the whole thing was ridiculous. Facilitated communication has been disproven many times over and is not a legitimate intervention.