When Board-Certified Behaviour Analysts (BCBA) Gita Srikanth and Swati Narayan, decided to co-author a new guide for parents of children on the autism spectrum, they wanted to create a book that would be a useful addition to the bookshelves of parents, caregivers, educators, and students of behavioural psychology. The result was A World Of Difference: The Ultimate Autism Handbook For Mindful Parenting, which has just been released by We Can Publishing and is available in paperback and Kindle formats.
Gita Srikanth is the founder-chairperson of We Can Resource Center For Autism, Chennai; co-founder of ProACT, India’s first acceptance and commitment therapy clinic; and holds a Masters in Applied Behaviour Analysis. Swati Narayan is the clinical director of We Can Resource Center For Autism, Chennai; and co-founder of ProACT.
Speaking on the book, Gita says, “Parenting today presents a very complex set of demands, all the more so if the child in question is on the autism spectrum. This can be a daunting scenario to navigate, so we created a ready-to-reference guidebook using simple language that outlines steps to understand and shape the child’s behaviour. We offer evidence-based frameworks and case studies that illustrate how behaviour goes where reinforcement flows. We also stress the importance of emotional presence, a need which physical presence alone cannot fulfill.”
As Swati adds, “When it comes to mindful parenting, A World of Difference becomes beneficial not only to those with children on the autism spectrum but also in a broader sense to all families who want to make meaningful transformations in order to create a happier upbringing. There is no such thing as perfect parenting, but it is relevant to talk about mindful parenting. It is about walking with your child rather than leading him through the journey, with or without a diagnosis. Our book is ideal for everyone with children in their lives whom they want to build healthy relationships with.”
