Working the Double Shift

About the Book

“Working the Double Shift” is a raw honest autobiography from a young woman with autism. Feeling that the current books on autism were not a fit for her, Christine decided to write a memoir covering different topics as well as the emotional process of a person with autism. The book covers her journey from birth to college and how she learned to find her voice and path in life as well as interventions and approaches that worked for her. This memoir also brings awareness to different social issues regarding autism and adulthood.

About the Author

Christine born and raised in Los Angeles CA was a happy child with boundless energy. When she didn’t meet certain developmental milestones at age 4, she went to see a psychologist who diagnosed her as autistic. She was enrolled in a special education preschool class and attended the Early Childhood Partial Hospitalization Program at UCLA. Intensive speech, social skills, occupational and educational therapies followed and Christine was able to mainstream in first grade. The elementary school years were good. Her family moved to Manhattan Beach when she was in middle school. Middle school years were turbulent times for Christine and she began intensive behavioral therapy. Schoolwork was tough but Christine managed to overcome challenges. Through behavioral therapy, Christine began to understand her feelings and find ways to manage her stress and anxiety. Christine graduated Mira Costa High School with honors and attended El Camino College. She graduated from El Camino College in 2013 and has transferred to Loyola Marymount University where she is majoring in psychology. Her aspiration is to be a behavioral therapist working with other autistic individuals. Christine is a self advocate and has spoken about her experiences with various groups including the Manhattan Beach Unified School District, the FRED conference and US Autism and Aspergers Association. Other hobbies include writing, horseback riding and drawing.