Shelley Pack is a comedic actress, writer and producer. One of her life passions is working with children who have a diagnosis of autism as well as other special needs. She uses her talents to bring attention to the possibilities and beauty of difference. Her short movie about Dash Chandler came to Lynette’s attention and impressed her with its simplicity and message. Together Shelley and Lynette discuss the joy of helping and producing film in an effort to share the beauty and possibility of the child within, any diagnosis.

Shelley and Lynette discuss at length the importance of imrpovisation and the attitude of ‘yes and’. This is a fundamental belief of theater groups using imrpovisation. Yes and means “accept the reality and add to it”. For example if the child says the blocks need to line up you can say “Yes and the chairs like it too.” Then follow that statement with the action of lining up chairs. Of course the next step is to create varied patterns and fun together but step on is always ‘yes and.’ And when the child adds a new thought like “No chairs are better in a circle.” You restate a new ‘Yes and shoes are best in a square.’ Etcetera.

THE GREAT GUEST GIVEAWAY guest is Ange Anderson with her new book Seren’s Christmas Encounter With Autism. As an author she uses the pseudonym Angela Morgan. The book is the third one in a series and perfect for families who want other’s to understand what family life is like when a member has autism.

Today’s question “Why show people autism?”

Today’s answer: “If you don’t show they don’t know.”

 

In Stories From The Road Lynette shares a story of the gift given through peer interaction, when a young girl, by virtue of her envy over a friend with autism, signals her own emotional challenges.