Dr Ariel writes occasionally for several publications including our very own Alternative Choices blog.

 2012 - The year Dr Ariel hiked to the peak of Africa's tallest mountain. It was also the year that she launched her book, Loving Someone with Asperger's Syndrome: Understanding and Connecting with Your Partner.  Indeed, it was a very big year. To get to the top of the mountain, she was aided by an able team of 13 African men. To complete and publish her book, she was similarly aided by many people to whom she is very grateful.

The book is a self-help book for intimate partners of adults who have grown up on the autism spectrum - whether they were diagnosed/aware of this fact, or not. Tony Attwood, PhD called it "informative and practical," while Diane Adreon, EdD called it "a must have guide." Our very own Dan Gottlieb, PhD of WHYY fame stated that "Ariel gets it like few people do." Stephen Shore, who wrote the foreword, said something similar - but for that you will have to read the book. 

Dr. Ariel still receives (and enjoys receiving) emails and sometimes letters or phone calls from people who read this book. People say things like: "Thank you for writing such an informative book. I could feel my frustration level and hurt feelings reducing as I read each page. I especially like how you present Asperger's as a brain that is 'wired differently' versus a disability. In my opinion, society has a need to label everything and has lost respect for normal variations in people."

Previously, in 2006, Dr Ariel co-edited a book with Dr. Robert Naseef entitled Voices From the Spectrum: Parents, Grandparents, Siblings, People with Autism and Professionals Share their Wisdom.   This is a book of essays about autism and its impact from many different perspectives. Many of the essays in the book are quite compelling. The book was translated into Arabic with the help of one of the essay authors, Dr. Samira Al-Saad, of the Kuwait Autism Centre.  Drs. Ariel and Naseef donate all of the proceeds from this book to the United Nations Children's Fund  (UNICEF), "for our world's children, the future of the human spectrum".

While both of these major publications focus on the autism spectrum, Dr. Cindy Ariel writes, thinks and works a great deal on a broad range of the human spectrum.  From that perspective, she embraces people of many backgrounds with diverse life experience and unique interests and needs. Life offers many challenges that everyone can face given the necessary support, understanding, and positive regard for the unique strengths, attitude and points of view that each one brings.  

"We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving."   J.K. Rowling in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.