FEARFULLY & WONDERFULLY MADE: Atlanta author Sade Smalls’ ‘I’m Not That Different From You’ has become a massive must-read for ASD community — and beyond
Andre Johnson 
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (Romans 15:1 KJV)
SMALLS’ BIG HEART
Sade Smalls paused for a moment recently so she could appropriately give God His well-deserved props.
Said Smalls in a June 29 post via Facebook:
“Let’s brag on God‼️ I’ve reached 150 sales for my first book with minimum promo, strictly all love & support. I thank God for my support system‼️ My goal is to do a community give back for the ASD community with free fidget toys, resources from the profession and networking opportunities for parents & guardians. So yes, each sale is personal to me‼️ Contact me for a signed copy‼️ Purchase your copy and participate in the challenge below‼️”
The “copy” to which Smalls is alluding is her life-altering, spiritually-empowering book entitled, I’m Not That Different From You: Poems of Skills-Based Interventions For The ASD Community, her highly-anticipated written work that made its ceremonious debut in April 2022.
BUY SMALLS’ BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Not-That-Different-You-Interventions/dp/B09YPBD33F
A fascinating, compelling book that is dedicated exclusively to the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community and their families, Smalls’ I’m Not That Different From You: Poems of Skills-Based Interventions For The ASD Community has created a fervent buzz throughout various message boards and social media platforms, given she has enjoyed an unprecedented number of sales since making her authorship debut.
Smalls composed I’m Not That Different From You: Poems of Skills-Based Interventions For The ASD Community to pay homage to her brother, Devin, who was diagnosed with autism at the tender age of three.
Devin, whom Smalls refers to as “my son,” celebrated his 19th birthday September 3.
“I’m so blessed to have him in my life! Enjoy your day son!!” Smalls wrote in a September 3 Facebook post that was accompanied by a trio of emojis.
An intriguing read that is comprised of 37 pages in length, Smalls’ I’m Not That Different From You: Poems of Skills-Based Interventions For The ASD Community vividly reminds her readers that the world of autism can be very complex, according to an in-depth synopsis of her book at Amazon.com.
“Facing a variety of symptoms such as impaired communication skills and behavioral challenges can be difficult for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD),” said an Amazon spokesperson for Smalls’ I’m Not That Different From You. This book is designed to provide insight and interventions for the ASD community and their families. Look forward to interacting with your loved one by using symptom-based activities to improve specific challenges.
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“You can also find activities for yourself as a caregiver, assuring you to become familiarized with self-care. Let’s continue completing the puzzle and informing your loved ones that even though they may face different barriers, they are not that different from you.”
When asked what was the single, most underlying reason she deemed it necessary to compose her new book, Smalls told Making Headline News: “Devin is nonverbal and I’ve always felt that I should be his voice. He is now 19 and, throughout this journey, there were many skills that he had to learn, such as appropriate behaviors in public settings to fit social norms. I decided that I would write a book for Devin and his peers that would imply these methods in a unique poem-based reading while also implementing interventions to educate them on coping skills, social skills, mindfulness and more.”
DYNAMIC DEVIN
As Smalls recalls, she began composing I’m Not That Different From You in 2019, “specifically in April,” she told MHN, which is recognized annually as Autism Awareness Month.
“During this time, I was a graduate student working to complete my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling,” said Smalls, who finally completed her highly-anticipated book in 2022, just in time for Autism Awareness Month.
As Smalls emphasized, her divine message through her new book is simple.
“My divine message is simply the title: I’m not that different from you,” Smalls explained. “I wanted to highlight specific symptoms and triggers that can be noticed in individuals with ASD, which can sometimes be compatible with someone who does not have the diagnosis. ASD is a spectrum disorder, which entails that the symptoms of each individual can vary from high-to-low functioning.
“From personal experience of a loved one with ASD, some people may not be aware of signs to look for or strategies to improve their symptoms,” Smalls, a native of North Augusta, South Carolina, continued. “The purpose of this book is to provide that information, as well as implement strategies to connect and impact common symptoms such as a lack of social skills.
“Though this book is targeted for the ASD community, my message is truly to anyone who obtains any mental health diagnosis to implement a sense of normality and giving the message that, ‘I’m not that different from you,’ despite my diagnosis. As human beings, we all have struggled at some point in our lives with mental health, whether its anxiety, depression, lack of interest, etc., so that makes the title withstand its truth by stating, ‘I’m not that different from you.’”
GET THIS BOOK
A book that is powered by the Atlanta-based Pa-Pro-Vi Publishing, Smalls has become the beneficiary of a rash of rave reviews since the release of her new book.
“I have received tremendous feedback from other authors, educators, therapist, and families who are connected to someone with autism,” Smalls said. “All of the feedback has been impactful. The personal testimonials received by families has touched my heart. Being able to connect with strangers by sharing common stories and providing a therapeutic touch on this book truly confirms that I followed God’s order when giving me this vision.”
HEART OF GOLD
For Smalls, it is a vision — a great, big one, to put it more precisely — that figures to impact and enrich the ASD community for generations to come.
“God confirmed my calling into the psychological and mental health field when my family discovered that my brother, Devin, received his diagnosis of autism,” Smalls said. “At that point, I knew that I would be hands-on to ensure that I could help my brother in any possible way. This book is fulfilling its purpose in all aspects from the connections, the ability to advocate and provide awareness of autism spectrum disorder. God has given me my purpose to shed light on mental health and this book is doing just that.”
For more information about Atlanta area Author Sade Smalls, to order her book, to schedule her for a public appearance, book signing or speaking engagement, call 803. 293.6350 or connect with her via social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sade.smalls.5; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsrs/?hl=en. Also, send email to: [email protected].
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Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist or Instagram at @makingheadlinenews.
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