Today's Chat with Sarah features Norio Ando author of Emotional Cure for Autism.
To view the official review, click here.
To view the book on Amazon, click here.
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1. Tell us a little about your background.
I had learned the Arabic language when I was a university student. I transiently worked in the Japanese Embassy in Damascus, Syria, while I was a student. Those days, I began to wonder how a baby developed into a human being. So I studied human development at a graduate school. I observed many babies at a nursery and found the importance of emotion in human development. I thought it was easy to understand and study human behaviors and development if we assume three emotions. I worked at a developmental center and treated many young children with developmental disorders based on three emotions. Although it is only an individual experience, I gained good results. I published books in Japanese and presented my experiences at many educational and psychological societies. But in the present days, cognitive science is prevailing. Therefore, my emotion theory remains unknown in Japan and the world.
2. Let's talk about your book Emotional Cure for Autism. How are you qualified to write about this subject?
As a certified clinical psychologist, I obtained good results in special education and clinical psychology. I accumulated my experiences and ideas. But, these are only individual. Scientific research is needed but does not fit my mentality because I incessantly invent new ideas and techniques and want to make sure they are valid and beneficial by experimenting with them on children. I apply different thoughts and methods to different cases-- all different for different people. I am a craftsman rather than a researcher. So, I hope other people scientifically validate my ideas.
3. Why autism?
I have been dealing with many psychological problems. Among them, autism shows us the imbalance of three emotions more than other deficiencies, although most researchers think of it as a cognitive deficiency. Autism is the first subject in my English books. I also wrote about ADHD and stubborn children. I will continue writing about character formation and problems based on my emotion theory.
4. How much research went into the book?
Nearly 40 years of clinical experience.
Unfortunately, I did not do scientific research on autism. I have just accumulated my clinical experiences. I think they are very beneficial to parents and researchers if they are open-minded.
5. What was the writing process like for you?
In my head, there are many ideas and experiences. But it isn't easy to write these ideas in English because I am not good at writing English.
6. The book talks about improving "autistic behaviors by eliciting relaxed pleasure from autistic children." Can you tell us of some changes you've seen first hand in autistic children?
When they begin to show relaxed laughter, they become comfortably calm and friendly. Then they enjoy interaction with people and learn from us spontaneously. If the mind develops properly emotionally, people learn and modulate their behaviors comfortably.
7. Did you write this book for parents, teachers, health care professionals, or all of the above?
For all of them. Mainly, I hope the troubles of parents will be less.
8. Is there a promotion in your future? Another book?
I retired from a professorship this March. As I have enough time, I am rewriting my book about "Stubborn children." I plan to write "The truth about Attachment," "How to change your child's character," etc.
I like to end with some fun questions.
9. How do you relax?
I think freely, letting many ideas popping up.
I think up "pun questions," such as: "One of my competitors comes to me. What do you call the situation?" The answer is "A rival's arrival."
10. What do you have in your trunk right now?
books, pens, memos...not so exciting thing.
11. What's your favorite sight?
The sight of people walking around.
12. Coffee, tea, cola, or water?
Green tea.
