Older Autistic Adults, in Their Own Words

Wilma Wake, PhD has been a licensed clinical social worker for over 40 years She is also an ordained minister, now retired after 28 years of active ministry. She has an M.Div. and D.Min. in Feminist-Liberation Theology and has published four books on spirituality. Her first love is education and she has a Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education. She has taught on many levels, including nine years as Associate Professor of Practical Theology at the Swedenborg School of Religion. In her mid sixties, she was diagnosed by is now a is co-facilitator. Her social work practice is devoted primarily to working with older autistic adults, neuro-diverse couples, and with autistic children and their families. She is committed to helping train other service providers to work with autistic adults. She is trained and certified as a neurodiverse couples’ therapist by AANE. [The Asperger/Autism Network]. She has a post-graduate certificate in Play-Family Therapy from the Family & Play Therapy Center of Philadelphia.Eric Endlich, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and founder of Top College Consultants®, helps neurodiverse students worldwide transition to college and graduate school. Dr. Endlich is on the Learning Differences/Neurodiversity Committee of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and was recently honored by IECA with a “Making a Difference” award for resources he provides such as an autism-friendly college list. He is also on the Clinical Advisory Board of the Asperger/Autism Network (AANE) and helped found AANE’s Neurodiverse Couples Institute. He is the co-admin for a Facebook group, Parents of College Bound Students with Learning Disabilities, ADHD and ASD, currently numbering over 600 members. Dr. Endlich has presented nationally at numerous events including the Harvard Medical School Continuing Education annual autism course, the Southern Maine Autism Conference and the CUNY Neurodiversity Conference. He has written articles for Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Different Brains, CollegeXpress and LINK for Counselors. He has taught undergraduate and graduate psychology courses at Boston College, Tufts University, Suffolk University and UMass/Boston. Dr. Endlich has been interviewed by media including WGBH Radio, Forbes, Business Insider, College Confidential and U.S. News & World Report. Lastly, he is an autism dad and an autistic adult.Rob Lagos is a computer programmer analyst and statistician. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from UCLA majoring in chemistry and computer science. He has worked for many years as a programmer/analyst and developer for several institutions in the New England area including United Health Group, Health Dialog, and New England Research Institutes. He served as a statistical consultant for Dr. Ramona Dvorak at the Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School. He also tutored students from Harvard and Boston Universities in statistics, mathematics, and computer science. He has been the head facilitator for the Autistic Adults group that meets in Portland, Maine, for over 10 years. He has been a presenter and co-presenter of numerous talks and workshops dealing with autism, at Sweetser Training Institute, New Hampshire Mensa Regional Gathering, Asperger/Autism Network, and other institutes. He is a virtuoso classical pianist and has taught adult piano students.

"The data and quotes in Older Autistic Adults are consistent with my clinical experience in diagnosing hundreds of mature adults over several decades: experience which is now validated by the results of the survey. The stories and statistics will be important to all those who have an interest in autism, both professionally and personally. The lost generation is at last being discovered and accepted." - Professor Tony Attwood, British clinical psychologist, author of the bestseller The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome“This book draws you in like no other. It is poignant, joyous, informative and authentic, all at the same time. It is a must read for all pre-service and in-service teachers working with neurodiverse students. The historical evolution of autism described in this book will be an eye opener for many. The voices of the lost generation of older autistic adults is extremely moving. It is powerful story telling at its best! Perhaps the most unique aspect of this book is the way stories and facts are woven together with global survey data from older autistic individuals to create an international tapestry of lives and experiences that is hard to forget.” - Manju Banerjee, Ph.D., Vice President of Educational Research and Innovation, Associate Professor, School of Educational Research and Innovation, Landmark College"Older Autistic Adults, In Their Own Words: The Lost Generation is a must-read for anyone who wants to gain an understanding of what autistic people go through daily in their relationships, family, education and work. This insightful and enlightening book provides the reader with honest first-hand accounts from older autistic adults who share their personal and professional experiences of growing up in a world that lacked information and understanding about autism. Older Autistic Adults is a hugely important resource and one that raises awareness and understanding among all autistic people." - Kathryn Alevizos, co-founder of Acrobat-Global and co-author of Is That Clear? Effective Communication in a Neurodiverse World