Adelphi Ph.D. student Dena Gassner shared her experience with Huffpost Rise.
Dena Gassner has autism spectrum disorder. She is also a mother of two and pursuing a Ph.D. in at Adelphi.
On April 2, 2016—World Autism Day—she spoke at ѿTV about her experience as a parent with autism, as part of the annual hosted by the in partnership with the Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Association (AHA).
, the daily video news update from , also recently featured her story. Gassner spoke candidly with host Cat Greenleaf about misconceptions about adults and parents with autism spectrum disorder and how her diagnosis has transformed her life.
“The diagnosis gave me a framework of identity. It doesn’t define me,” Gassner said. “It explains me, somewhat to other people, but more so to myself.”
Gassner was moved to tears in describing what the diagnosis has meant for her relationship with her daughter.
“We’ve had this healing that I can’t even describe. It’s been wonderful,” Gassner said.
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