In this episode, my guest is autism advocate, speaker, and prolific author Jennifer Cook. Since being identified as autistic in 2011, in conjunction with all three of her children, Jennifer has become a powerful voice in the world of autism advocacy, with a special focus on girls on the spectrum. If Jennifer’s name sounds familiar to you, you most likely have one or more of her Asperkids books, which are highly empowering books which Jennifer wrote just for kids on the spectrum. She’s also the author of Sisterhood of the Spectrum, and the memoir Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum. Jennifer’s work has led to collaboration with the National Institutes of Health Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, the President’s Council on Disabilities, the Autism Society of America, Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, and multiple media outlets. 

We cover so much ground during our conversation…everything from labels and diagnosis, to the limits of language and the power of reframes, to the unique challenges and reality for girls on the spectrum, and so much more. From this conversation, you will truly get a feel for Jennifer’s passion and her relentlessly positive approach to the world. 

 THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Glimpses into Jennifer’s story as a woman on the spectrum and as a mother of three differently wired children 
• The importance of reframing, while also recognizing the difficulty that comes with downplaying challenges
• The unique challenges associated with misidentifying girls on the spectrum and why they are often misdiagnosed

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Jennifer Cook’s website
• The Asperkid’s (Secret) Book of Social Rules: The Handbook of Not-So-Obvious Social Guidelines for Tweens and Teens With Asperger Syndrome by Jennifer Cook
• Asperkids: An Insider’s Guide to Loving, Understanding, and Teaching Children with Asperger’s Syndrome by Jennifer Cook
• Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum by Jennifer Cook

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