Should we really continue to pity those on the autism spectrum? Or, is it time to reexamine how we approach those with differently-wired brains? Vikie Shanks shares a paradigm shift she went through with her own children. Vikie Shanks is an inspirational and motivational speaker and speaks on a wide variety of mental health issues.

Vikie is a mother of seven, six of her children are autistic, two have cerebral palsy and one has severe dyslexia. Her husband tragically committed suicide after suffering from mental health issues, leaving her to care for her children alone. Vikie is an an author, speaker, and expert in Autism and communication. She runs an Autism support group, is a two-time winner of the Pride of Warwick District “Carer of the Year” award and won “Bravest Woman” award from Best Magazine. Through her support her children have gone on to win athletic awards, excel in academics, and form all-girl vocal band Relative Blue