“More”: It’s more than a story!

When I first moved to Canada, I knew I wanted to continue working with people with disabilities, just as I had done during my academic and professional journey in my home country. I’ve always felt a deep connection with neurodivergent people, and I’ve made it my personal mission to fight stereotypes and advocate for more inclusion and promoting understanding. However, I wasn’t sure how my vocation and my mission would have translated in another country, where I soon realized things were so different. But then, one small moment, a single word, reminded me of how true connection really transcends language and culture. 

What truly surprised me upon arriving in Canada was the wide range of services available to support autistic people and their families. At first, navigating BC’s terminology, systems, and laws was challenging. But over time, I came to appreciate the wealth of resources available to help people live a fulfilling life and reach their goals. Driven by my curiosity and passion, I soon started working as a Behavioral Interventionist, a role that felt like a natural next step. Supporting autistic kids as they learned new skills, built confidence, and explored the world around them was wonderful. I felt honored to be a trusted person in their lives and watch them grow. 

The story of a child in particular really struck a chord in me. He was four years old, non-speaking, and incredibly bright. He mostly communicated through his iPad, and he was unbelievably fast at finding all the words on his “talking app”, as we called it. He definitely used electronic devices better than me! From the very first session, we clicked. We shared lots of laughs, explored his interests through play, and worked on his skills. His favorite activity was reading books together, and he would light up when we acted out scenes from the stories of his books, mimicking the characters’ facial expressions and gestures with so much joy. 

Over time, something beautiful began to unfold. He started mouthing some words during our sessions, and I always made sure to celebrate every little step with him. He was also working with a speech pathologist at the time, and seeing how many milestones he started to hit since joining speech therapy really reminded me how important it is to collaborate among professionals to make people achieve their full potential. Teamwork truly makes a difference! 

Then, one day, something incredible happened: while asking me to read more pages of a book with him by using his hands to say “more” in sign language, he said the word “more” out loud. Being there to witness that milestone was one of the most meaningful moments of my professional life. We celebrated it together, and I made sure he understood how proud he should have been of himself. From that moment on, his confidence bloomed, and he started using more spoken words alongside his device and ASL. Everyone around him was extremely proud of his accomplishments.  

The day I had to leave the job and say goodbye was bittersweet. I had built such a strong connection with him and his family over time, and I still wish I could have continued working with him for longer to contribute even more to his journey and his growth. As I stood by the door, he looked at me, signed “thank you” in ASL, and then said the words out loud with a big smile. It was the perfect ending to a beautiful journey. In that moment, I remembered the first time I met him – so much smaller, shy, and completely non-speaking. Now, here he was: a bright, confident boy, expressing himself independently both verbally and non-verbally, and embracing his abilities with confidence. Though I’m no longer in touch with the kid’s family, I often think of him and hope he’s out there thriving.  

This experience reminded me that, as professionals, we may only be in someone’s life for a short time, but with the right tools, approach, and care, we can leave a lasting impact. It also taught me that there are so many meaningful ways to connect beyond spoken words. Relationships are also built through gestures, shared joy, mutual respect, and presence.  

My goal remains to always offer a safe, supportive space for neurodivergent people to grow, explore, and feel seen. I will continue advocating for a more inclusive world, one connection at a time. Now, in my role as a Vocational Counsellor at WISE, I am carrying my mission into a new space: supporting people with cognitive disabilities in finding meaningful employment. Advocating for accessible workplaces and guiding employers towards real inclusion sends such a powerful message: everyone is valuable and has potential, even those who are sometimes overlooked. True inclusion means recognizing that everyone has something valuable to offer, and my mission is to help people find that “something” in them.  

Written by CB