Meeting Dr. Temple Grandin

Hey, folks!

In December 2016 I was honored to meet Dr. Temple Grandin, an expert in Autism and Animal Science.  I attended a conference held by Future Horizons, Inc., in Tampa, Florida. Speakers included Dr. Temple Grandin who talked about Autism and her sensory-based world, Eustacia Cutler (Temple's mother) who talked about what it was like raising Temple, and Dr. Jed Baker who entertainingly talked about managing frustration and anxiety.

Meeting Dr. Temple Grandin

I have so much admiration and respect for Temple, not only for sharing her insights into Autism, but also for her research and design advancements in the livestock industry. I grew up on a cropping, sheep and cattle farm (a.k.a. "ranch" for my American readers) in Australia, and I know of a farming family who are successfully using Temple's cattle handling system on their farm in central N.S.W. Australia.

If you are a parent/guardian of a child with Autism, or a professional working with children who have Autism, I would highly recommended attending a Temple Grandin conference or reading one of her books. I am currently reading "The Autistic Brain" by Temple Grandin and Richard Panek (my signed copy!). Another book I would recommend to those who care for a non-verbal child on the Spectrum is "How Can I Talk if My Lips Don't Move?" by Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay.

Overall, the conference and these books are highly informative and resourceful, and I am looking forward to carrying over some of the pertinent skills and information learnt to improve my treatment approaches and therapy outcomes.

Have a great week!

Maree




 

About Me

Hi!

I’m Maree and I’m an Ameristralian. For those of you who don’t follow Reddit: I was born in Australia, but currently live in America. I am an Australian citizen, and an American permanent resident. Basically, I have strong affiliations with both countries. Some of you may be wondering ‘Why would she move to America when she comes from the best country in the world?’ – Good question. All I can say is I met a boy and the rest is history.

I’m a farm girl at heart. I was raised on my family’s property near a small village called Tottenham, the closest town to the geographical centre of New South Wales, Australia. My family owned a mixed farming enterprise of livestock and cropping, primarily raising sheep and growing wheat. Experiencing droughts and floods, physical labour and the outdoors, I feel this lifestyle was character-building and promoted self-sufficiency. A well-rounded education was valued in my family, so my brother and I were sent to boarding school in Orange, New South Wales, Australia. Living away from home from the age of 12 was no mean feat, but I feel lucky to have been bestowed such a privilege. My independence grew fourfold and I made lifelong friendships, many who I treasure so dearly to this day. From there I moved even further away from home to study at the University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. I met a handsome American exchange student named Greg during Orientation Week, who I now proudly call my husband. Once I completed my University studies, graduating as a Speech Language Pathologist, my husband and I moved to Sarasota, Florida, USA. This was a huge step for a small town country gal who had never been on a plane before meeting her husband. A wise man once told us that if you stuck a pole from Newcastle, Australia directly through the centre of the earth it would come out the other side in Tallahassee, Florida, USA. Seriously, I could not live any farther from home if I tried. The moon, perhaps?! 

Currently, my husband works as an IT Consultant, which has taken him on many adventures around the world (some of which I have got to go on!). Recently certified as a Speech Language Pathologist in America, I’m about to begin my first 'Speechie' job at an early intervention centre. I’m excited to discover what this next chapter of my life will bring.

Have a great day!

Maree

Greg and Maree.  Photo credit to Cindy Habel Photography.