Reviews
What People Are Saying
“A devoted mother who has worked hard to teach her autistic son many skills, Rita Miceli’s son Giaci now lives a full life with a job he really likes. Through her practice of tolerance and procedural routine, Miceli teaches us that autism cannot be cured, but it can be worked with.”
DR. TEMPLE GRANDIN
Distinguished Professor and author of “Thinking in Pictures”, “Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism”
“In the telling of her experience of being the young mother of four children, including a son with a diagnosis of autism and twin daughters, and her quest to be the “perfect” mother, while continuing to strive to meet her personal professional goals as an educator, Rita Miceli does a masterful job in describing the overwhelming stress she experienced, imposed from both without, and within.
Through her writing, the reader can understand, at a visceral level, how challenging raising a child with autism can be (particularly in the context of raising three other children at the same time). Such understanding is crucial for both extended families and educators at all levels connected to a family living with autism. Rita’s eventual reconciliation with herself, and her acceptance of autism, while still ensuring her (now grown) son’s abilities are maximized, can serve as a guide and a balm for other mothers (in particular), currently struggling with a child’s recent autism diagnosis.
With the benefit of hindsight, Rita is able to provide both perspective and guidance for families, not in “overcoming” autism, but in being able to live “with” autism and find joy.”
ELIZABETH M. STARR, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita, Faculty of Education, University of Windsor
Raw and Emotional: Navigating Autism with Grace.
“Rita Miceli chronicles the peaks and valleys of a mother's journey through the maze of Autism, through her raw and emotional world. As a wife and mother of four, she shares her deeply personal experiences in a narrative that is both heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting. The author’s willingness to expose her vulnerability, including the toll it took on her career and mental health, is genuine and moving.
Rita grapples with the initial shock of the diagnosis, detailing the struggles of daily life, from her safe place, the shower – to moments leading to the painful realization that her son needed more than this beautiful family could give.
A key strength of "Giaci and Me" lies in the mother's journey to understand and connect with her son, breaking down seemingly insurmountable challenges into manageable steps. The decision to join a movement advocating for extended therapy beyond the age of four reflects the broader societal issues faced by parents of children with Autism, shedding light on how critical it is for accessible intervention and support.
Her daughters become part of a connected family network that protects and gives their brothers unconditional attention and love. As the story unfolds, the decision to reach out to fellow parents and community members who understand the unique challenges of raising a child with Autism becomes a turning point in the family's journey.
This book is nothing short of a celebration of resilience and love. The family's embrace of Autism as a part of their lives, coupled with the positive impact of the support network, highlights the power of understanding and acceptance. The book masterfully captures the evolution of the family's dynamics, illustrating how Autism has not only changed their lives but, in many ways, enriched and deepened their connections.
This book is a powerful testament to the strength of familial love, resilience, and the transformative potential of embracing the journey of raising a child with Autism. It serves as both a source of inspiration for families facing similar challenges and an eye-opener for those seeking a deeper understanding of the emotional terrain traversed by parents in the Autism community.”
LYNN MCLAUGHLIN
Educator, Entrepreneur, Podcast Host and Award-Winning Author
“Mother always knows when something isn’t right with their child. It is like an alarm ringing loudly in the core of their being. Rita recounts her journey in perfect detail, in her page-turning narrative with courage and perseverance. This book is a first of its kind and a MUST READ for all autism families dealing with acceptance, spirituality, cultural dynamics, and love of family.”
KAREN SIMMONS
CEO, Founder of Autism Today Foundation, Author and Mother of 7, two on the spectrum
“Giaci and Me is a beautiful book that narrates a family’s many challenges to obtain proper treatments for Autism in 1990s Ontario.
It is a highly readable story that makes us drink in the book’s chapters like glasses of fresh rejuvenating and surprising waters.
Their search for effective treatments reads like a detective story, starting with Bettelheim’s blaming of “ice mothers” and Rimland’s anti-vaccine “biomedical’ confabulations. It makes you cry for happiness for unexpected triumphs and grabs your heart with fears of personal setbacks or lost opportunities. You cannot put the book down, eagerly waiting for the next resolution, the next victory, or the next battle loss. Will the newest intervention be a fad or a crash?
The book reviews some of the many tips, tricks and schemes developed and used by parents to disguise foods rejected by their children’s unsurmountable autistic selectivity. It documents the slow rise of behaviour treatments, starting with minuscule presentations of rejected activities, specific foods, baths, and haircuts, and the gradual acceptance of necessary changes.
It also speaks of the Ontario government’s false moves, or falsehoods, e.g., cancelling treatments for children who became older than 5 yrs. of age.
On the positive side, the provincial government’s acceptance, and support of behaviour-based treatment was arrived at after a multi-year battle with the parents of children diagnosed with Autism. Finally, the book addresses the importance of parental counselling, support, and assistance to accept that Autism is not something that our children have or get like a headache or a cold; it is something that they are.
I highly recommend “Giaci and Me”, it is a wonderful read!
Congratulations to its author Rita Miceli!”
DR. FRANCISCO J BARRERA
Certified (Registered) Psychologist (Ontario), A Board Certified Behavior Analyst - Doctoral® (BCBA-D®)
