MSI Press Blog

  Colette McNeil Colette McNeil aspires to develop confidence in individuals with autism by expanding the perspectives of their parents, families, teachers, and caregivers. Experience: Colette McNeil has worked with children and adults with disabilities for 30 years.  She spent 20 of those years teaching students with autism and related disorders ages 3-22. Additionally, Colette has a close relationship with her nephew with autism who is in his 20’s Education: Ms. McNeil holds a Master of Arts Degree in Psychology. Further, she is a prolific reader of Positive Psychology literature and embeds her learning into her daily interactions and coaching-consultation practices. Business: Through her business  Shared Perspectives Support , Colette McNeil provides private coaching-consultation services to families struggling with Autism and developmental disorders in the Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties of California, USA.\  Colette has published two books with MSI P...

  San Juan Books is the hybrid division of MSI Press LLC. It allows first-time writers to become published in a traditional way through the reduction of risk by sharing publication costs. All other publishing features are traditional in nature, and most SJB authors go on to be offered traditional contracts for their subsequent books. SJB publications are available as paperback, hard cover, and e-book versions. SJB authors' books very much hold their own against their contemporaries in the traditional publishing division. Indeed, a number of them have outsold their traditional compatriots. Today, San Juan Books presents author Colette McNeil. Colette McNeil aspires to develop confidence in individuals with autism by expanding the perspectives of their parents, families, teachers, and caregivers. Experience: Colette McNeil has worked with children and adults with disabilities for 30 years.  She spent 20 of those years teaching students with autism and related disorders ages 3-22...

Communication No running, No jumping, No talking, No shoes – No shirt – No service.   Speaking in this style of negative phrasing is as common and ingrained as answering the telephone with “Hello.”   To the majority of society, the message is direct, concise, and typically easily understood.    Unfortunately, children with autism struggle with deciphering statements requesting the negation of an action. While it is not impossible for these children to learn some regularly used negative statements, it takes more effort and exposure to the exact phrasing to produce understanding. If we look carefully at the information provided by current researchers and practitioners of autism we could pinpoint some of the children’s receptive communication difficulties.   Autism causes deficits to varying degrees in the ability to understand verbal sounds and attach meaning to them.    Further, if the children do understand the individual spoken w...

Statement from Colette McNeil on World Autism Day: Autism Acceptance "Choosing to understand the needs and perceptions of children with autism and accepting the responsibility to change the way adults engage their individual child can improve trust, attunement and positive emotional relationships." See Colette's book:   McNeil , Colette. Understanding the Challenge of No for Children with Autism: Improving Communication, Increasing Positivity, Enhancing Relationships . MSI Press, LLC. Kindle Edition . Awards Legacy Award in Education, Kops-Fetherling International Books Awards Silver Award, Adult Classical Non-Fiction, Reader Views Literary Awards  For more posts about Colette McNeil and her books, click  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Interested in receiving a free copy o...

  From the author --  The story behind Entienda el desafío del -NO- en los niños con autismo Entienda el desafío del -NO- en los ninños con autismo is the Spanish translated version of Understanding the Challenge of, “No” for Children with Autism. The author Colette McNeil was inspired to write Understanding the Challenge of, “No” for Children with Autism in the hopes of sharing information on how making purposeful choices when speaking to children with autism can improve understanding and cooperation. In her 30 years of working with autistic children, the author has noticed that the assistance provided to parents, care givers and education staff has mostly been delivered through a series of explicit strategies to address specific instances of need. The collection of a bag full of tricks or “tool bag,” is encouraged. For example, if we want a child to learn to request a snack item we teach the specific phrase “I want cookie please.” Then if we want the child to follow a direct...

  From the author -- The story behind Understanding the Challenge of, “No” for Children with Autism The author Colette McNeil was inspired to write Understanding the Challenge of, “No” for Children with Autism in the hopes of sharing information on how making purposeful choices when speaking to children with autism can improve understanding and cooperation. In her 30 years of working with autistic children, the author has noticed that the assistance provided to parents, care givers and education staff has mostly been delivered through a series of explicit strategies to address specific instances of need. The collection of a bag full of tricks or “tool bag,” is encouraged. For example, if we want a child to learn to request a snack item we teach the specific phrase “I want cookie please.” Then if we want the child to follow a direction to wash their hands we teach the specific phrase “Wash Hands.” The guiding adults learn these phrases as independent tools without understanding why ...

Colette McNeil published a helpful article on apps and other tools for parents of children with autism in the September issue of Autism Parenting Magazine . The title is "Personal Communication Supports for Nonverbal Children with Autism." The article focuses on specific tools and support for communicating with nonverbal children. To ready the article, you will need to subscribe to Autism Parenting Magazine , but if you have a child with autism (or are a teacher of one), it should be worth it. Colette is the author of two books on autism that have been published by MSI Press.  For more information about this book, click HERE . For more information about this book, click HERE . For more posts on Colette, click HERE . For more posts on autism, click HERE .

  Congratulations to Colette McNeil, whose book,  Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism has been selected as a finalist for the 2020 Reader Views Literary Awards. We wish her success in the final competition. This is the second of Colette's books to be selected for this distinction. Choice and Structure for Children with Autism is also a finalist.  To read more posts about Colette and her books, click HERE .

  Congratulations to Colette McNeil, whose book, Choice and Structure for Children with Autism  has been selected as a Gold Medalist for the 2020 Reader Views Literary Awards in the education category. It was also selected for a silver award in the parenting category. This is the second of Colette's books to be selected for this distinction.  Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism   earned a silver medal in the adult classics - nonfiction category.  To read more posts about Colette and her books, click  HERE .

We are proud to have learned that MSI Press author, Colette McNeil, has been named Top Communication Advisor by Autism Parenting Magazine. Colette is the author of two books: Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism has earned the following awards: Reader Views Literary Awards Silver Medal Adult Classics Kops-Fetherling International Books Legacy Award Education Choice and Structure for Children with Autism has earned the following awards: Reader Views Literary Awards Silver Medal Parenting

  Temple Grandin didn’t just overcome autism—she redefined how the world understands it. Mute until age 3½, she found her voice through speech therapy and later revolutionized livestock handling by designing systems that reflect animal psychology. Her autism gave her a unique visual-spatial thinking style, allowing her to “think in pictures.” This perspective helped her empathize with animals and advocate for humane treatment. She’s now a professor, author, and one of the most influential autism advocates alive. Autism didn’t limit her—it clarified her vision. Grandin’s legacy is both scientific and spiritual: a call to see the world through different eyes. Post inspired by Colette McNeil's books on autism:  Choice and Structure for Children with Autism .  Entienda el desafino de -no - en los ninos con autismo ,  and  Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism   by Colette McNeil.  Read more posts about Colette and her books  ...