Interviewing William Stillman on Demystifying Autism Inside & Out

William Stillman is the author of Demystifying the Autistic Experience: A Humanistic Introduction for Parents, Caregivers and Educators (2002) which has been highly praised by the autism and self-advocacy communities. His other books include The Autism Answer Book (2007), The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Asperger's Syndrome: Help, Hope and Guidance (2005) [a condensed version of which was published in 2008 as When Your Child has Asperger's Syndrome], The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Bipolar Disorder: Professional, Reassuring Advice to Help You Understand and Cope (2005), and his groundbreaking work, Autism and the God Connection: Redefining the Autistic Experience Through Extraordinary Accounts of Spiritual Giftedness (2006). Stillman also writes a column, "Through the Looking Glass," for the national quarterly publication The Autism Perspective, is a regular contributing writer, and is on that magazine's advisory board. In 2008, Stillman was one of fifteen authors selected to contribute to Autism Today's Autism Expert Report, a monthly publication designed to provide premier advice and recommendations to parents and professionals. (Stillman is also coauthor of several successful books about his life-long passion, The Wizard of Oz.)     Autism and the God Connection, Stillman's study of profound spiritual, mystical and metaphysical giftedness of some individuals with autism, has resonated with parents, professionals, and persons with autism internationally, and has received endorsements of praise from bestselling authors Gary Zukav, Carol Bowman, Dean Hamer, and Larry Dossey. Autism and the God Connection was a finalist for the 2007 Publishers Marketing Association Benjamin Franklin Award for excellence. Inspired by Autism and the God Connection, he hosts a monthly question-and-answer column for Children of the New Earth magazine, and the film rights to his book have been optioned for a proposed documentary. Stillman's spiritual work also led to his solicitation to compose a week of daily reflections for the 2009 edition of Disciplines: A Book of Daily Devotions, published by Upper Room Books, and a training module on religious service inclusion for persons with autism for The Thoughtful Christian, an Internet training and resource organization. A sequel, The Soul of Autism: Looking Beyond Labels to Unveil Spiritual Secrets of the Heart Savants, published in 2008, and, in promotion of the new title, Stillman was interviewed on CBS Sunday Morning News. Both Autism and the God Connection and The Soul of Autism were translated in 2008 by German publisher Amra Verlag.   As an adult with Asperger's Syndrome, a mild "cousin" of autism, Stillman's message of reverence and respect has touched thousands nationally through his acclaimed autism workshops and private consultations. In addition to his frequent work in California, Illinois, Delaware, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, William Stillman has presented at conferences throughout Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania Statewide Early Intervention Conference; Special Education "Shaping the Future" Conference; Regional Conference on Mental Illness and Mental Retardation; Pennsylvania Autism Institute Conference; Pennsylvania Association of School Social Work Personnel; National Parent to Parent Conference; and Advisory Board on Autism and Related Disorders Conference. Other presentation forums have included universities, hospitals, state centers, and schools.

2. Could you please give us a little history of autism as condition given a name and a general guideline for clinical diagnosis?

3. I'd like to take a moment to let the audience know more about you through some work you have accomplished in the way of your books. May I give a title in chronological and have you give a general idea of what main points the book bears?

a. Demystifying the Autistic Experience: A Humanistic Introduction for Parents, Caregivers and Educators (2002)

b. The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Asperger's Syndrome: Help, Hope and Guidance (2005) [a condensed version of which was published in 2008 as When Your Child has Asperger's Syndrome],

c. The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Bipolar Disorder: Professional, Reassuring Advice to Help You Understand and Cope (2005)

d. There is your ground breaking Autism and the God Connection: Redefining the Autistic Experience Through Extraordinary Accounts of Spiritual Giftedness (2006)

e. The Autism Answer Book (2007)

4. Bill you are in a position to see what people generally understand about Autism and so you are in service to inform us. My question is do you get to give the public the kind of information that you feel is really vital or are your presentations relegated to discussing what people deal with in terms challenge and uncertainty when life is changed forever?

5. To begin, Bill how are we defining Asperger's and Autism today. Are there untruths and urban legend, which you address when speaking on autism, when the audience is not well informed? What about vaccines - do you have an opinion on that being a culprit? What do you get to discuss when your audience is somewhat informed? Are audiences getting informed and being "put up to speed" as quickly as they should?

6. There are always ground breaking medical and scientific discoveries and these developments have their own ebbs and flows. Have there been any legitimate findings that have integrity and can be used to enhance quality of life?

7. Should we be accepting every document that comes through Yahoo.com or MSNBC claiming to be true and really relevant? When does media get in the way and actually add to the mass confusion?

8. Are there parts of the world where autism is more prevalent? Many marriages end in divorce because of the stress and challenge in providing full support to an autistic child. Are the statistics improving in favor of the family staying together as a unit?

9. Different states and countries for that matter vary in standard of living. Are there states or countries that have really good programs in place, better than in other areas? Why do some states or countries lag behind? At which countries or states should we look to as a model for improvement and why?

10. Your work has a strong spiritual over and under tone. Do you associate Asperger's and Autism with some greater divine plan meant to teach mankind life lessons, and if so, what is your point of view.  Is there a risk in using a spiritual perspective interacting with the public and addressing the scientific and medical communities?

How do the public and private sectors respond to the spiritual perspective?

11. Your work is critically acclaimed by well-respected authors like Gary Zukav, Carol Bowman, Dean Hamer, and Larry Dossey. How did your work fall in their hands?

12. Where do you go or to what do you subscribe when it comes to getting valid updates on findings regarding Autism?

13. You are also write a column, "Through the Looking Glass," for the national quarterly publication The Autism Perspective, is a regular contributing writer, and are on that magazine's advisory board.

14. There is your ongoing creative work about your life-long passion through The Wizard of Oz.  Please explain that.

15. There is also a monthly question-and-answer column, which you host for Children of the New Earth magazine inspired by Autism and the Connection, and I understand the film rights to this book have been optioned for a proposed documentary. Please describe this development and how that got started.

16. I see you provide private consultations. What does that service entail? Do you work with groups or individuals one-on-one? I also noticed a blog on your site. How do you use that?

17. How can people get the best use of your site and stay connected with what you do?

18. Are you still accepting new clients for your consultation? How can others contact you to have you come and present? Can you respond short-notice?

19. What word of advice and encourage do you have to share with our listeners about autism or in general about the importance of perseverance?