World Autism Awareness Day: A Mother's Journey Through Silence, Strength, and Self-Discovery

Today, on World Autism Awareness Day, I want to pause and reflect on a journey that has transformed every fiber of my being — the journey of raising my brilliant, beautiful, autistic 7-year-old son.

Autism is often spoken about in statistics, therapies, or diagnostic criteria. But for me, autism is not just a label — it is a lived experience, a daily dance of decoding emotions, celebrating non-verbal communication, and learning to embrace a world that doesn't always understand silence.

Becoming a Mother, Again and Again

I became a mother once when my son was born.

And then I became a mother again — when I realized he saw the world through a lens that I did not yet understand. When I sat in IEP meetings. When I closed the school I had built with my own hands. When I grieved the expectations I didn’t even realize I had.

Each of those moments reshaped me.

They taught me to listen not with my ears, but with my heart. To celebrate progress no matter how small. To fight fiercely, love gently, and adapt constantly.

Why I Wrote Embracing the Silence

So many of us mothers walk through the shadows of misunderstood behavior, exclusion, and diagnosis. We are told to be strong, to be patient, to find solutions. But few ask how we’re doing — how we’re really doing.

I wrote Embracing the Silence to speak the truth of that experience — the rage, the grief, the hope, the radical love.

This book is for the mother who cries in her car after drop-off.

For the parents who feel alone in crowded waiting rooms.

For every caregiver trying to make space for joy, even in the silence.

Through poetry and prose, I share my raw, unfiltered journey as a mother, educator, and advocate navigating the world of neurodiversity. I want other families to feel seen — and perhaps find healing in the pages I’ve written.

What the World Needs to Understand About Autism

Autism is not a tragedy.

The real tragedy is a society that fails to create inclusive spaces — in schools, workplaces, and communities.

Autistic children are not broken. They are not burdens. They are not to be “fixed.”

They are whole. Worthy. Capable.

And they thrive when met with understanding, flexibility, and unconditional love.

As parents, we don’t need pity. We need partnership. We need people who will sit with us in the hard days and stand with us in advocacy.

Join Me in Embracing the Silence

On this World Autism Awareness Day, I invite you to take a step beyond awareness into acceptance — and beyond acceptance into celebration.

Read our stories. Share your own. Support autistic individuals and the caregivers who walk beside them.

And if you or someone you love is navigating this path, I hope Embracing the Silence becomes a companion on the journey.

🟣 Pre order the book here: Email info@lissarette.com

🟣 Follow my story and connect with our community: @lissarette

With love, resilience, and a quiet roar,

Dr. Lissarette Nisnevich

Mother. Educator. Advocate. Author.