On Wednesday, March 16th members from the L'Arche Stratford, London and Hamilton communities attended a talk given by Dr. Temple Grandin.  This inspiring evening was filled with touching stories and many moments of laughter.  L'Arche Stratford's creative arts center  was also mentioned in a video about Grace Culletin life!  Below is the article from the local paper.

Taken from the Beacon Herald

An engaging speaker, Grandin gave those without autism a glimpse into the world of those with the disorder in her talk Autism and My Sensory Based World.

Autism is a tricky world to navigate with almost limitless variables.

Imagine walking into a store and feeling like you're in a disco with strobe lights flashing and you can't turn them off. Those are sensory issues some people with autism experience when they walk into a grocery store because of the fluorescent lights.

Imagine your hearing fades in and out like a bad cellphone connection. Or visual images break up and fragment or words jiggle on the page.

Because some people with autism have difficulty with auditory detail, some sounds can be missing. Those with the disorder will focus on the mouth of those speaking rather than the eyes.

Grandin thinks strictly in pictures, she said. It means she thinks in specifics and in details. She has trouble remembering a long string of auditory instructions. She has trouble separating background noise and is more interested in things than in people.

"I still can't tolerate scratchy clothes and I can't multi-task," she said.

She earned a doctorate in animal science, but said working in a busy restaurant with an old cash register would be impossible for her.

She's been very successful despite some of the sensory and social challenges because she had good intervention early on and was able to focus on some of her strengths.


It's what she recommends for kids growing up with autism now.

"You've got to push these kids some," she said.

Pushing some and surprises are totally different, she stressed. Surprises cause panic. To alleviate that, her mother showed her pictures of her aunt's ranch, somewhere she never wanted to go, before she ever went.

She stressed, too, that schools need to keep the hands-on learning in the classrooms. For some autistic kids, it's the only way to process information.

"We've got to build on the area of strength. If they're fixated on airplanes do math with airplanes. Study places where airplanes go," she said.

And while she advocates for some understanding of the different types of thinkers from visual to pattern and word thinkers, she also stresses some need for the autistic child to conform and be able to contribute to society.

"Don't try to de-geek the geek, but you shouldn't be a dirty, rude slob," she said.

It's critical autistic kids and adults get out and do things and have some social experiences through hobbies or other activities.

Teens with autism should have jobs.

"You've got to learn how to do stuff other people want."

She warned about getting the "handicap mentality."

In many ways, the event was a celebration of people with autism as they find their potential, including master of ceremonies Brandon Reynolds, University of Waterloo student Dylan Thomas, singer Sara Sobey and painter Grace Culliton.