Take a Full Circle Journey with Donna:
Donna Brendel used to talk to the television screen in her mind when she was a little girl, and now she talks to the world from inside a computer screen, out loud on her podcast called "I Should Say That Out Loud." She takes you back in time to give you a glimpse into her childhood perspective as an undiagnosed autistic little girl. She knew she was different than everyone else around her, but she never knew why, until she was diagnosed late into her adulthood with autism. Travel the long winding road through the decades with her. All her strange behaviors began to make sense to her once she discovered that girls can be autistic just like boys, but in a different way. She started to learn more about herself and autism simultaneously the more she thought and wrote about her memories. Now she shares these insights with you in her memoir series, Autistic Revelations. Career Edition, book two of this series, chronicles her meandering journey through the strange and confusing passages of her own development through play, education and then career, or rather careers. She had no idea what she enjoyed doing for her own sake, having grown up masking and copying everyone around her. Traverse the emotional road of self-discovery from foggy conditions all the way to clarity and confidence with Donna. She picks up the pieces of the answer, of what brings her joy in life, along the way and ultimately puts them together. She discovers that play, education, career, and doing what she loves are not supposed to stand alone in isolated portions of life only to be visited one time each. Rather, they are continuing pals along the journey that must intermingle throughout life in order to find joy and purpose for oneself as well as to help others along the way.
Excerpt from the Foreword:
Donna's ability to blend vivid personal storytelling with powerful insight makes her writing invaluable to those wishing to understand their own journeys more deeply- or simply to be inspired by the resilience, clarity, and courage of someone who has turned a lifetime of challenges into a roadmap for hope and healing. She doesn't just tell you what happened- she shows you why it matters.
Her words are not just reflections- they're tools. Donna's hard-earned wisdom helps readers recognize burnout, articulate their needs, advocate effectively, and shift how they define success. Her tone is steady and deeply human- equal parts thoughtful, warm, and galvanizing.
Donna Brendel has taken a path that many have walked- especially autistic adults- and made it visible. She's named it, mapped it, and made it safer for others to follow.
Hailey Chappell, MS, LPC
Licensed Therapist and Autism Empowerment Coach