As you likely know, at the BHPN we believe in a person-centered philosophy of care that makes each individual client’s needs and goals a priority, as well as their family’s. Our job as autism service providers is to not only do what we can to make our clients feel included in their communities but to help those communities better understand what neurodiversity and inclusion look like. For years, April has been heralded as Autism Awareness Month with landmarks around the world illuminating their exteriors in blue, families taking to various walks and events to show their pride and connect with friends and an abundance of campaigns and fundraisers to raise awareness of autism spectrum disorder.
After all these fruitful years of spreading awareness, it’s been heartwarming to look back at this past April to see how the conversations have shifted from basic education to increased acceptance and support. Autism is even now in the mainstream media, portrayed in a variety of ways to help cement the understanding that the autism spectrum is not a one-size-fits-all diagnosis. Recently, more and more notable figures have shared their child’s—or their own!—diagnoses with the public in a step to break stigmas and create a safe space for others to share an important piece of who they are comfortably. From documentaries gaining high praise at the Academy Awards to television shows giving a glimpse into a day in the life of families living with autism, we think it’s about time we shift from ‘awareness’ to ‘appreciation.’ After all, there are so many wonderful qualities in all of us that it only makes sense to highlight the innumerable talents in celebration of our clients!
With this shift in our own thinking, we can certainly change the narrative at large and encourage our communities to see our clients the way we do—as individual people with incredible gifts and perspectives who deserve celebration and recognition for their accomplishments. So now that you know why we’ve shifted from awareness to set new precedents for honoring and appreciating neurodiversity, you can help the BHPN celebrate autism appreciation all year round! Join the conversation by sharing our posts on Facebook and LinkedIn, let us know what the BHPN’s person-centered care philosophy means to you in a review and tag us (@theBHPN) to show how your company is helping the world appreciate autism!