Eric Schopler

Autism Light #452 is Eric Schopler.

Eric Schopler was an American psychologist whose research into autism treatment led to his creation of what is known as the TEACCH autism program. Eric Schopler was born on February 8, 1927, in Furth, Germany. His family was Jewish and in 1938 left Germany for the United States. Eric Schopler passed away from cancer on July 7, 2006, at his home in Mebane, North Carolina, at the age of 79. He will be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll today.

The following is a tribute to Eric Schopler that was produced in 2005, a year before his death. 

TEACCH Program: The TEACCH autism program was developed from a pilot program that Eric Schopler and Robert Reichler started at the University of North Carolina in the 1960's. TEACCH was formed as a statewide program in 1972 by the North Carolina legislator (TEACCH Autism progam, Autism Speaks website). It went on to become a model for other autism programs around the world and is still being practiced widely to this day.

Tribute to Eric Schopler: Dr. Gary Mesibov, a previous director of TEACCH said, "Dr. Schopler's work erased the burden of unjustified guilt borne by many families and led to meaningful, productive lives for people with autism. For more than 35 years, the treatment that he developed has been the most widely used approach to autism in the world (Carolina Alumni Review, July 12, 2006)."

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders: Eric Schopler was editor for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders from 1974-1997. He also wrote over 200 articles and books during his lifetime.

Board Member: Eric Schopler was a member of the following boards as he lived out his passion for autism.

• Autism Society of America
• Autism Society of North Carolina
• Linwood Childrens Center (Ellicott City, Maryland)
• Bitter Sweet Farms (Toledo, Ohio)

Wikipedia: For more information about Eric Schopler read his Wikipedia Page. 

In Memorium: More information can be found about Dr. Eric Schopler in the obituary that the University of North Carolina published on their website. There is also a blog created in memory of Eric Schopler.

Special thanks to Eric Schopler for his contribution to the field of autism therapy. His legacy lives on in the many practitioners who went on to embrace his technique of collaborating with parents and to this day persistently utilize the TEACCH program. May Dr. Schopler's life inspire others to enter the field of autism therapy.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Mira Rothenberg

Autism Light #417 is Mira Rothenberg.

Mira Rothenberg was a holocaust survivor and a pioneer child psychologist in the treatment of children with autism. Mira Rothenberg was born on January 15, 1922 in Vilnius, Lithuania and died on April 16, 2015. She spent much of her life working in New York and had been living with her son in Beverly Hills, California at the time of her passing. She is survived by her only son Akiva Goldsman, who is a Hollywood screenwriter who won an Academy Award for his movie A Beautiful Mind. Mira Rothenberg will be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll today.

When Mira Rothenberg arrived in New York in 1939 she began work with children who were holocaust orphans that arrived from European concentration camps. This work with children propelled her into a passion for children diagnosed with autism and she became a pioneer in specialized treatment for them. Her groundbreaking role in the history of autism treatment has been described in this way. "Mira Rothenberg has been instrumental in developing treatments and clinical distinctions for autistic and severely disturbed children that are separate from those who are mentally disabled (ReadHowYouWant.com, Mira Rothenberg)."

Education: Mira Rothenberg studied psychology and education at Brooklyn College and Columbia University. She received her Masters in Psychology from Yeshiva University (Remembering Mira Rothenberg, Tabletmag.com, May 12, 2015, Tal Trachtman Alroy). In 2011 she was awarded the Honorary Doctorate degree at the 80th Commencement at Yeshiva University.

Blueberry Treatment Centers: Mira Rothenberg and her husband Tav Goldsman founded the Blueberry Treatment Centers in New York, which were the first internationally recognized agency to offer treatment for children who had autism and schizophrenia. Mira Rothenberg served as the clinical director of the Blueberry Treatment Centers from 1959-1985.  By 1990 the center "was providing services to more than 200 children and adolescents through its residential and day treatment programs, nursery and summer camp (New York Times, Sam Roberts, May 11, 2015)."

Author:  Mira Rothenberg is the author of the following books on autism treatment.

• In 2003, she published Children with Emerald Eyes: Histories of Extraordinary Boys and Girls.
• In 2012, she published The Children of Raquette Lake: One Summer That Helped Change the Course of Treatment for Autism.

Mira Rothenberg wrote of her summer of work with autistic children at Raquette Lake, "It was the beginning of the recognition that these children exist and have a right to life....and a change in public perception of and attitude toward these kinds of children--autistic (or as they were often misdiagnosed, schizophrenic), and those suffering from childhood schizophrenia (The Children of Raquette Lake: One Summer That Helped Change the Course of Treatment for Autism, 2012)."

Mira Rothenberg had a heart for her work and she took it personally when she couldn't help every student. In 1978 when a student of hers had to be admitted to a state hospital she said, "I learned that it is especially difficult to forgive yourself. We all want to be gods. But we are mortals, and knowing that is sometimes very painful (As quoted by New York Times, Sam Roberts, May 11, 2015)."

We remember with thankfulness the accomplishments and contributions to autism that Mira Rothenberg made. Over the years she helped hundreds of children to find a better life through her pioneer treatments that were geared distinctively toward those impacted by autism. May the example of her work and her unique heritage as a holocaust survivor inspire others to make a difference for those with autism in the years to come. RIP Mira Rothenberg. All those that had the privilege to know you in your time and those that come after you and have studied your contributions can't help but shed a tear tonight that you are gone from our world.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Ole Ivar Lovaas

Autism Light #255 is Dr. Ole Ivar Lovaas.

 

Dr. Ole Ivar Lovaas was born in Lier, Norway on May 8, 1927. He was a clinical psychologist at UCLA who spent 40 years in autism research and pioneered a treatment for autism known today as the Lovaas treatment. Lovaas is also regarded as the Father of Applied Behavioral Analysis as it applied to people with autism.  Dr. Lovaas passed away on August 2, 2010, in Lancaster, California. Dr. Ole Ivar Lovaas is being named an Autism Light posthumously and added to the Autism Light Memorial Roll because of his contribution to the field of autism treatment.

The New York Times obituary for Dr. Lovaas states that he was "a psychologist who developed one of the most widely used therapies for children with autism, and in doing so helped change the treatment and the public perception of the condition (Source)." The following is an early interview done with Dr. Ivar Lovaas. In addition to it's historical value it provides a background into the approach for treatment used by Dr. Lovaas.


Dr. Jacqui Wynn, a former student of Dr. Lovaas and the director of the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, gave this tribute to Dr. Ivar Lovaas:

He gave hope and opportunities to children and families who really had no hope or opportunities before him. It was all based on Ivar believing what at the time was thought to be impossible--that these kids could learn and change and lead normal lives. He stuck with that belief doggedly (Source).

Early Life: Dr. Ivar Lovaas worked as a farmer in Norway as a young man during the Nazi occupation of his country.

Education: Dr. Ivar Lovaas earned his undergraduate degree from Luther College in Iowa where he earned a scholarship in music for his skill in playing the violin. He went on to earn his doctorate of psychology from the University of Washington.

Career: Dr. Ivar Lovaas became a Professor of Psychology at UCLA in 1961. At the time of his death he was an Emeritus Professor of Psychology at UCLA.  The Los Angeles Times said, "At UCLA, Lovaas' class, Psychology 170A: Behavior Modification, was among the most popular undergraduate courses. In a booming voice, he entertained students with stories of Norway and played the song "Dust in the Wind" to introduce a lesson on human malleability (Source)."

Research: Dr. Ivar Lovaas was influential in showing that some children with autism could benefit from treatment.  His paper called, Behavioral Treatment and Normal Educational and Intellectual Functioning in Young Autistic Children was important and spreading that message to the autism treatment community.

Quote: Dr. Ivar Lovaas' said regarding research, "If we lose or minimize the importance of peer-reviewed outcome data, we abandon the defining feature of behavioral approaches to social problems (Source)."

Lovaas Institute: In 1995, Dr. Ole Ivar Lovaas founded the Lovaas Institute and they continue to carry on his work today with partners around the United States who utilize the Lovaas approach for autism. The following is the announcement the Lovaas Institute shared about the passing of Dr. Lovaas in 2010.

More information on Ivar Lovaas is available on these many sites who recognized his life accomplishments:

• Memories of Ole Ivar Lovaas at Association for Psychological Science
• Los Angeles Times Obituary
• Medscape Today Article
• New York Times Obituary
• Psychology Today Article on Ivar Lovaas
• Wikipedia Page

Special thanks to Dr. Ivar Lovaas for being an Autism Light. Your work was not in vain and its impact continues to this day to help brighten the lives of children and families with autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photos of Dr. Lovaas in this post were used with permission of the Lovaas Institute.

Mark Yeager

Autism Light #153 is Dr. Mark Yeager.

Dr. Mark H. Yeager is from Smith County, Mississippi. He is often referred to as the "Father of the Mississippi Autism Movement." Viewed as the top authority on autism in the State of Mississippi, Mark Yeager has provided services to people with autism since 1975. "His experiences range from being a classroom teacher to program developer creating new and innovative based programs (Source)." Dr. Mark Yeager is an Autism Light for the dedication he has had for over 35 years to improving the quality of life for people with autism in Mississippi. The effectiveness of his work is an example to the autism field across the United States and world.

The following is a video of Dr. Mark Yeager speaking on "The Hidden Part of Autism" on May 5, 2010 at The Institute for Disability Studies at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Autism Light asked Dr. Mark Yeager how he felt we could best help improve the quality of life for those with autism. He shared the following:

I think that one of the most misinterpreted issues within the ASD community is that people with ASD prefer not to do many things.  This often leads to them being left out of so many opportunities.  My years of experience has taught me that it is not the lack of interest or desire but the lack of opportunity that keeps autistic people away from so much.  It is our collective responsibility to provide as many opportunities as possible for our autistic friends and family members so that they can enjoy participating in life with everyone else --Dr. Mark Yeager. 

Adjunct Professor: Dr. Mark Yeager is a 1998 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where he earned his Ph.D. in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Mark Yeager serves as an adjunct professor at both the University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University.  Dr. Mark Yeager created and taught the first classes in the state of Mississippi exclusively dedicated to autism (Source). He has also delivered autism lectures to the Minister of Education in India.

Autism Bill of Rights: One of the ways in which Dr. Mark Yeager's autism work has been felt outside of Mississippi is related to the Autism Bill of Rights.  He created the Autism Bill of Rights and the document can be viewed at this link.

Autism Camps: Mark Yeager also serves as the Camp Director for Autism Camps in Mississippi known as TEAAM'S Adventure Based Programs. The programs allow people with autism inclusive opportunities to experience a camp program.  In this past year 190 campers and 140 volunteers were involved in the Kamp Kaleidoscope and Camp Walapei at their Center Ridge Outpost.  The Center Ridge Outpost is about 6 miles south of Raleigh, Mississippi.  The website for more information on these Autism Camps is at www.autismcamps.org.

Yeager Group: Dr. Mark H. Yeager is co-founder of the Yeager Group. The Yeager Group provides "assessments, quality training, assistance in the classroom, teacher and family support, IEP recommendations, behavior programs, student counseling and more (Source)." If you are interested in their services contact them at The Yeager Group, PO Box 37, Mize, MS 39116 or through other channels listed on their website.

Social Media: You can follow Dr. Mark Yeager at the following social media areas.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google+

For more information on Dr. Mark Yeager vist his biography at this Website.  Special thanks to Dr. Mark Yeager for shining your light for over 35 years to improve the life of people with autism in Mississippi.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo in this post is used with permission of Dr. Mark Yeager.

Nora Baladerian

Autism Light #147 is Dr. Nora Baladerian.

One of the constant worries that parents have is keeping their children safe every day in every way. While the challenge impacts all parents, it weighs especially heavily on those who have children with disabilities, such as autism. According to Chantal Sicile-Kara, "those who specialize in the field of abuse & disability believe that for both children and adults, increased victimization is more likely 10 times the rate than for those without disabilities (Source)."  Today's Autism Light is a courageous light who has spent 40 years in an emotionally charged field, to which she has made priceless contributions with her outstanding professional expertise. 

Dr. Nora Baladerian, Ph.D lives in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Nora Baladerian is the Director of the Disability and Abuse Project in Los Angeles. She is a licensed psychologist who also has her own private practice.  Dr. Nora Baladerian is an Autism Light because of the key roles she has had in the field of sexual abuse of the disabled, including making a difference in areas of prevention and training, healing and therapy, and forensics and justice. To find out more information beyond what is mentioned here you may wish to view Dr. Nora Baladerian's complete online resume found in a section of her professional website.  

Dr. Nora Baladerian began her journey that has led to her life's work in 1972 when as a sexuality related counselor one of her clients revealed they were an incest victim. She recounts how she found out there was a need in this area:

I had taken all the educational courses I could at UCLA and USC under Regional Center about people with developmental disabilities when I worked there...none mentioned anything about abuse, crime victimization, sexual assault. I figured where there was one, there were many. I set out to learn all I could about crime victims with disabilities, but there was nothing, literally, that I found at that time. I began to attend any child abuse seminar/workshop/class/meeting that I could all the while asking, 'how does what you are teaching relate to kids/adults with disabilities?" No answers."  

Dr. Nora Baladerian then set out to learn all she could about sexual assault. She is a Certified Sex Educator, Certified Sex Therapist and  founding member of the California Committee on Sexuality and Developmental Disabilities. Through her gifts and passion to never stop learning, she has become a leading expert in the field of sexual abuse of people with developmental disabilities.

Conferences: Dr. Nora Baladerian has given presentations at numerous important conferences over the years. She convened 10 national/international conferences on abuse and disability from 1986 to 2005, plus in 2005 held the first professional online conference on the topic. She put these first 7 conferences on with no outside funding but the last 3 she had the support of the Arc of Riverside County, the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, and the California Governor's Office under the Children's Justice Act. A partial list of those conferences can be found on this website. 

And there is a very special free opportunity coming soon to hear Dr. Nora Baladerian give an online presentation. 

On Saturday, February 11, 2012 from 8:15-9:45 Pacific Time, Dr. Nora Baladerian will give a free online presentation on "How Can Parents Reduce the Risk of Sexual Abuse of Their Child or Young Adult?" as part of the Autism Safety and Crisis Prevention Conference being presented by the Autism College and the National Autism Association (NAA) with sponsorship by The Social Express.  Go to this link to register today.

National Crime Victims Service Award (2008):  The Attorney General of the United States presented Dr. Nora Baladerian with the National Crime Victims Service Award in 2008, recognizing her pioneering work on behalf of persons with disabilities and in the furtherance of the mission of the Office for Victims of Crime of the U.S. Department of Justice. A list of other recent awards and recognition that Dr. Nora Baladerian has received is at this website. 

Disability and Abuse Project: Dr. Nora Baladerian has served as the Director of the Disability and Abuse Project since 1991. The mission of The Disability and Abuse Project very much mirrors the three pronged approach of prevention, healing, and justice that Dr. Nora Baladerian has taken with her career.  According to their website, the mission of the Disability and Abuse Project is "to identify ways to reduce the risk of abuse, to promote healing for victims, and to seek justice for those who have been victimized."  You can find out more information about the work of this organization at www.disabilityandabuse.org. 

Prevention: Autism Light asked Dr. Nora Baladerian to share some practical things that parents could do to prevent abuse of their children with autism. Here are five action steps.

1. Communicate with children what sexual abuse is.
2. Ask children to use their sixth sense around people, and to share with them (parents) any "weird words or behavior" by adults or other kids.
3. Work with the child to interpret behaviors and determine if something inappropriate is taking place such as grooming.  
4. Believe the child if they share something has happened to them.
5. Take immediate action as parents in the situation. 

Author: Dr. Nora Baladerian has written several books/guidebooks for the field of sexual abuse of the disabled. You may view them and order them from the Disability and Abuse Project of Spectrum Institute at this website. You may also view her author page on Amazon for additional sources for some of her books.

In addition, she developed two law enforcement training videos with the ARC of Riverside County. One was for training first responders and the other for how to conduct the forensic interview with children and adults with intellectual disabilities. These training videos are available free from the Office for Victims of Crime of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Social Media: You can follow Dr. Nora Baladerian's work at the following social media areas:

• Facebook
• Google+

Special thanks to Dr. Nora Baladerian for being a leader in the prevention and healing of sexual abuse on those with autism. I work as a Research Analyst and Webmaster for Prevent Child Abuse Michigan. It is my experience both as a parent of a child with autism and as one working in the field of abuse prevention that Dr. Nora Baladerian's specialization and expertise is very much needed today. 

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo in this post is used with the permission of Dr. Nora Baladerian. 

This post went into syndication at Autisable.

Elina Manghi

Autism Light #140 is Dr. Elina Manghi.

Dr. Elina Manghi was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  She was a renowned child psychologist who had lived in the Chicago area since 1982. Dr. Elina Manghi had lymphoma and died at her Oak Park, Illinois home on January 15, 2012. She was 59 years old. For more information on Dr. Elina Manghi you may read her obituary at the Chicago Tribune.

Dr. Elina Manghi is being made an Autism Light posthumously, because she was dedicated to making a difference for autism within Chicago's Hispanic community. She will also be added to the Autism Light Memorial Roll. While Dr. Manghi was a nationally appreciated child psychologist, the autism community remembers her most for helping found a support group in Chicago for Spanish-speaking families who had children with autism.

Here is an interview Elina Manghi gave on social change. It provides an understanding of her background and enthusiasm in making a difference in this world at her final position at the Adler School of Psychology.

Grupo Salto:  Dr. Elina Manghi and Irma Hernandez started Grupo SALTO in 2003. The name is an acronym in Spanish for Latino Autism Society Working with Optimism. The group has parent meetings as well as meetings for siblings and teenagers with autism. Presently 400 families are associated with the organization. Their website lists this as their mission:

Grupo SALTO is a non-profit organization dedicated to provide support for families who have children within the Autism spectrum and whose primary language is Spanish. The main focus of the group is to provide training, education, and support for parents. Grupo SALTO welcomes families from Chicago and its suburbs (Source). 

Irma Hernandez who helped start Grupo SALTO with Dr. Manghi said this about her friend and colleague:

She was so good at presenting information from material to parents. She developed very specific strategies and provided them with practical information to help them learn how to help their child. At the end of her talks, parents would gather around her, asking her questions and seeking her advice. It was as if they didn't want the session to end (Source). 

Career as a Psychologist: Dr. Manghi had a lifetime of service to children as a psychologist. The highlights of her professional career included:

• In 1982 she moved to Chicago to become a Child Therapist with Catholic Charities.
• In 1988, Dr. Elina Manghi received her doctoral degree in psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. 
• In 1992 she became a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Chicago and was a co-director of The Autism Program of Illinois (TAP).
• In 2003 she helped start Grupo SALTO.
• In 2009 she started teaching graduate school for the Adler School of Psychology, and for the past two years she was head of their Child and Adolescent Track of the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) program.

Special thanks to Dr. Elina Manghi for being an Autism Light. Your light will live on in the hundreds of Spanish speaking families in the Chicago area that you have helped to deal with the challenges of autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Dr. Albert Cotugno

Autism Light #18 is Dr. Albert Cotugno.

Dr. Albert J. Cotugno is a psychologist with over 30 years experience of providing group and individual psychotherapy services to children with special needs, many of whom have autism. He presently practices in Needham, Massachusetts and is an instructor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Albert Cotugno is an Autism Light because he is the author of two important books encouraging social competencies for children with autism.

The following is a video about Dr. Albert Cotugno's work with children with autism.

Education: 

• Albert Cotugno earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1982. 
• He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts in 1972.

Books on Autism:

• In 2009 he wrote the book-- Group Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
• Then in 2011 he wrote a follow up to that book--:Making Sense of Social Situations: How to Run a Group-Based Intervention Program for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Boston.com wrote an online news article on the release of this book.  

More information on these books is available at www.drcotugno.com/book.html.

For more information on Dr. Albert Cotugno's work you can visit his official website at www.drcotugno.com.

Special thanks to Dr. Albert Cotugno for his work in helping children with autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.