AUTISM’S STEPCHILD A Mother’s Story

by Phyllis Grilikhes

Paperback / 978-1-58790-373-1 / 172 pgs / 5.5 x 8.5 / photographs/ $18.00

Autism / Schizophrenia / Psychology / Biography

ABOUT THE BOOK

Autism’s Stepchild is the story is of a mother’s unfailing struggle over decades to find adequate care for her daughter, Jean, who had a condition that today would be understood as autism. Erik Erikson became interested in Jean’s case, worked with her and counseled her family. She became the chapter “Early Ego Failure” in his classic book Childhood and Society. Misdiagnosed and misunderstood, Jean’s childhood was a design in futility. Phyllis D. Grilikhes, the author of this volume, worked with Jean after Erikson left and followed her through adolescence into adulthood to the present day. This is a part of the story that has never been told until now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Phyllis D. Grilikhes is publishing her second book, Autism’s Stepchild: A Mother’s Story. Her first book, a poetic narrative, To Set A Light In Every Tunnel: The Story of a Life was published by Regent Press in 2008. She has recently retired after almost thirty years of teaching and mentoring students at City College of San Francisco. A former dancer, she is at present an author, licensed psychologist, a classical pianist and tapestry maker . . . who believes that we are all more than one thing.