RFK Jr.'s assertion on April 16, 2025, that "autism destroys families” and is an “individual tragedy as well," didn't just cause controversy—it ignited a firestorm among families across the country. Within myself, it sparked a passion I haven't felt since my first college graduation, a visceral —Hold Up! Wait a minute! My social work activism is officially ignited— type of absolute fire. As a mother and a therapist, knowing everything I know about the reality of autism, I had something profound to say.
Firstly, I think it is very important to note that Autism is a spectrum of social-emotional communcation challenges and differences, and yes limitations; The problem with public discussion is that it often stops there, focusing only on the high-support end and completely dismissing the complexity of the full spectrum. When people resort to labels like "middle to high-functioning," they fail to capture the constant, contextual variability of support needs—you can be highly intellectual but unable to dress yourself, or non-verbal yet brilliantly creative. Such reductive labeling erases the truth that all autistic success requires systems tailored to support inconsistent abilities.
My heart melted onto the floor that night when I watched the news—first and foremost, for my child. Autism is not a cancer, as a very nice but terribly misinformed parent suggested to me at an event recently.
That initial feeling of heartbreak soon started bubbling, then boiling, ultimately launching me onto this platform—a space where I can champion the mental health and public health of neurodiverse communities. As a school social worker, private practice clinician, and school coach, my core mission is engaging people in meaningful psychotherapy. For nearly 25 years, I’ve had the great privilege of working with Autistic and ADHD adults, acting as one of those walking time capsules that holds great knowledge and skill in relating to and supporting those who have to navigate a world fundamentally not built for them.
This urgent need to redesign our world, especially the educational environment, is why I was so disappointed to have missed Dr. Temple Grandin’s recent speaking event. She is, quite simply, one of my heroes in this field—a brilliant mind and a trailblazer whose perspective offers the necessary map for progress. Reviewing her older interviews only confirmed that her outstanding views and suggestions are exactly where education needs to go for neurodiverse children and teens. Her vision would be incredibly effective for increasing strengths-based education, and ultimately, fostering a global shift toward valuing diverse cognitive styles and contributions.
Dr. Temple Grandin is a highly distinguished and globally recognized figure. She is an autistic self-advocate, a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, and a best-selling author.
Her significance stems from two major areas:
- Animal Welfare: She revolutionized the livestock industry by using her unique visual perspective (she describes "thinking in pictures") to design more humane handling systems, which are now used in facilities across North America.
- Autism Advocacy: As one of the first individuals to openly share her lived experience with autism, she has provided invaluable insight into the neurodivergent mind. Her advocacy focuses heavily on moving away from deficit models and instead cultivating the unique talents—like visual, pattern, and verbal thinking—that autistic children and teens possess, which directly relates to the educational reform.
This shift isn't just about tweaking curriculum; it requires a radical rethinking of what we consider success. Dr. Grandin consistently advocates for vocational training and hands-on, real-world skills—shop classes, art classes, coding, and engineering projects—that are often the first to be cut from school budgets. It’s in these applied environments that the visual thinkers and pattern thinkers—the true innovators of our society—thrive. We must stop prioritizing abstract, verbal metrics that measure deficits, and start investing in the practical skills that build careers and confidence for neurodiverse individuals.
Moreover, the radical educational shift is only one side of the equation; the other is creating truly neuro-affirming spaces at home and in the community. This demands thinking outside of the box to help alleviate the pervasive and often debilitating issue of autistic burnout. There is space for all—neurotypical and neurodivergent alike—but the critical question is directed squarely at us, the neurotypical folks: Are we willing to embrace our own inflexibility and stop dismissing the distinct needs that allow others to function and operate effectively?
Specifically, consider that validating the need for a dedicated, low-stimulus "recharge room" in a school or office is not an accommodation; it is an acknowledgment that different minds require different fuel.
The true work of inclusion is just that—work—and taking the words "inclusion," "diversity," and "equity" out of policy and regulations erases the lived truth for the people that require a neuro-affirming, strengths-based, structured culture; and oftentimes a structure that makes the best sense for an individual and their neuro-type, in which to have a safe, meaningful, and prosperous livelihood.
So now what?
So, now-- alot of things... This is where my energy is now focused: actively developing and advocating for neuro-affirming spaces, language, and resources both at home and with my clients. The relational trauma, rejection, and shame that many of my adult clients have survived are a direct result of living in a world fundamentally not built for them. In our sessions, the work becomes one of Undoing those toxic pathways and Rebuilding self-worth rooted in their authentic Autistic lived experience. It is time to move beyond discussion and truly lean into the planning and concrete actions championed by pioneers like Dr. Temple Grandin and Dr. Devon Price, author of the seminal work, Unmasking Autism.
