From Isolation to Intimacy

Contents: Introduction. Part One: Learning the Skills of Interaction. 1. First Encounters. 2. Attention. 3. Stress. 4. Body Language. 5. What Are We Trying to Do? 6. Theory of Mind. 7. How Well Does Using a Person's Body Language Work? Part Two: Meeting People. 8. Three Children on the Autistic Spectrum. 9. Cerebral Palsy. 10. Does age matter? 11. Changing Rooms. 12. Lost Voices, Learned Language. 13. Rub It Better. 14. What Next? References. Subject Index. Author Index.

This book is about how we get in touch with people who, in the words of the author, ""are separated from us because they cannot tell us what they want, or perhaps more importantly, how they feel"". It is a beautifully written endorsement of the universal importance of emotional needs such as intimacy and social connection, irrespective of an individual's ability to communicate with others. It introduces communication as a prerequisite to all intimacy, and makes the point that communication at ""deeper"" levels is not verbal but physical, tactile or visual: a look, a nod, a smile - a feeling of safety with another person. In this respect, this book has applicability and value beyond those for whom it was written this book's strength is its emphasis on improving the quality of life - identifying and meeting needs - of people who are in one way or another isolated by their disability.