Becoming an autism success story / Anita Lesko

Intro; SPECIAL NOTE FROM TEMPLE GRANDIN; FOREWORD; INTRODUCTION; Hippotherapy + Life Experience & Socialization + Visualization & Neuroplasticity = Rewired Brain; CHAPTER 1; LEARNING A POWERFUL LESSON FOR LIFE; A Life-Changing Event; The Uncoordinated Misfit Kid; Difficulty Following Along with Movements.; My Connection to Animals; The Human-Animal Connection; The Pony Ride That Would Set Me Free; The Most Important Advice Ever: A Story About Coal; CHAPTER 2; VISUALIZATION AND NEUROPLASTICITY; Using All Your Senses; Visualizing from Two Perspectives; Sports Psychology; Performance Enhancement

Resilience and Recovery InjuryNeuroplasticity; Seven Steps to Visualize Your Future and Rewire Your Brain; The Power of Visualization is Available to All; Age Doesn't Matter; How to Stop Anxiety with Visualization; Examples of Scenes for Your Visualization; My Visualization; CHAPTER 3; HORSE THERAPY AND AUTISM; Becoming a Working Student; What is Hippotherapy?; How a Child with Autism Can Benefit from Hippotherapy; Developing the Emotional Bond and Cognitive Skills; Evidence-Based Research; The Horse Boy; Get Involved!; Safety Always Comes First; Certified Vs. Uncertified; CHAPTER 4

HORSE THERAPY AND HARD WORKMastering Total Body Control; Learning by Watching; Getting Strong and Learning Balance; The Balancing Act; Posting to the Trot: A Major Breakthrough; Developing Confidence and Coordination; Learning to Canter; My First Horse and Dressage; Thinking Like a Horse; Horses Have Meltdowns, Just Like Individuals with Autism; High Anxiety; All Horses Have Asperger's.; My Routines; Helicopter Parents; How Childhood Jobs Prepared Me for Success as an Adult with Autism; Home Chores; Working at the Stable; Operating Spotlights; Driving a Zamboni; Baking Business

Volunteering at a Local Hospital Led to My CareerCHAPTER 5; PERSONAL SUCCESSES; Social Skills; Learning to Make Eye Contact; Visualizing Body Language; Navigating College with Visualization; Anesthesia Training; If You'd Like to Know More About Autism; Driving; On Becoming an Autism Activist; Changing Health care for All on the Autism Spectrum; Visualizing My Way to a Flight in a F-15 Fighter Jet; The Snowflake Ride; Visualizing Through the Darkness; An Autism Baseball Game: Love and Marriage; Life Coaching; Conclusion; Take My Thirty-Day Challenge!; REFERENCES

"Diagnosed with autism at age fifty, Anita Lesko always knew something was different - but never let that stop her. In her incredible story, she describes how she went from an uncoordinated "misfit" kid to the successful and thriving adult she is today! Lesko shares ALL her secrets to success, including: Horse therapy to teach coordination and social skills. - Visualization and neuroplasticity to 'rewire' the brain for success. - Hard work and early jobs to build skills. - Patience and perseverance." - BOOK JACKET