Book Introduction: “The Autism Parents’ Club” by Ritu Kiran
A while back, I served on the co-production board of Aubilities, a company that developed an inclusion platform underpinned by neurodiversity, alongside a wonderful team of neurodistinct members. I was privileged to work on the team with Ritu Kiran, founder and CEO, and found it refreshing and uplifting to work with a neuro-affirming leader who […]
Organizing Minds: The Hidden Weight of “Keeping It All Together”
In honor of Neurodiversity Celebration Week (17–22 March), I’m pleased to share this post about organization, filled with helpful tips for helping people feel supported and become more organized in the workplace, written by Nathaniel “Nat” Hawley, MSc — Founder of Divergent Thinking . I saw the new “Organizing Minds” section on Jacki’s site, I […]
Sirens, Independence, and Impossible Choices
Parenting an autistic adult in Israel during wartime means constantly balancing safety, freedom, and the realities of daily life under sirens. Last Saturday afternoon, as sirens sounded and explosions echoed in the distance, my autistic son insisted on leaving the house to attend his weekly Torah lesson. It was only a seven-minute walk from our […]
Parallel Assessment and Sensory Integration
Post #5 in category. We recommend reading posts in numerical order. Sensory integration is the neurological process that organizes sensation from one’s own body and from the environment and makes it possible to use the body effectively within the environment. – Jean Ayres Eye contact is still difficult for me in noisy rooms because it […]
Parallel Assessment: sensation, movement and the beginning of intention
Post #4 in category. We recommend reading posts in numerical order. Early sensorimotor responses in infancy are largely automatic, reflexive, immediate and constrained to the present moment. They are narrow in range, rigid, and often disconnected from planning and intention. Only when these early sensations and movements are stored, associated, and integrated with experience across […]
Parallel Assessment: an overview
Post #3 in category. We recommend reading posts in numerical order. To truly understand a child, we need to attend to the child as a whole human being living in the real world, not as a collection of isolated skills, deficits, or test scores. Both Parallel Assessment and Parallel Development involve ongoing, individualized processes of […]
Jacki Edry at the Parenting Complex Kids Summit
I’m honored to announce that I will be a speaker at The Parenting Complex Kids Summit! This FREE Online Event brings together top professionals and Rabbonim who really get it. Information and inspiration for parents of high-stress/ behaviorally challenging kids. Mon, Feb 9th- Sun, Feb 15th. 5 days. 30+ Amazing Speakers. To sign up now, […]
Neuroplasticity and Learning: shaping the mind and the brain
Post #2 in category. We recommend reading posts in numerical order. “Relationships between neuronal structure and function underpin the complexity of human organization: the individual’s thinking, feeling and doing.” – Gerald Edelman Neuroplasticity (the brain’s capacity to alter its structure and function in response to experience) has transformed how we understand learning and human development. […]
Parallel Assessment of a Three-Year-Old with Sensorimotor Issues and Significant Developmental Delays
Post #3 in category. We recommend reading posts in numerical order. Early sensorimotor responses in infancy are largely automatic, quick, reflexive and bound to the present moment. They are more related to survival than to understanding. Only when these sensations are stored, compared, and integrated with other experiences do they become flexible enough to support […]
Interactive Developmental Domains, OM
Post #2 in category. We recommend reading posts in numerical order. Parallel Assessment and Parallel Development are models of successful child development interventions shaped by biological, societal and cultural strategies for connection and learning. They are concerned not only with what a child can do, but with how the child comes to do it through […]