Book excerpt: Andrea Libutti began the work of reconstructing herself after her oldest son was diagnosed with severe autism several years ago. Distraught and seemingly hopeless at the time, a series of unfolding events moved her from sleepwalking through life toward a personal journey of inner transformation. She immersed herself in research surrounding the causes and treatments for autism, and after several years of learning she has come to understand the disorder from a physical, emotional, and spiritual perspective. In Awakened by Autism, Andrea shares her journey and the knowledge she has gained along the way. She believes that the masses of children diagnosed today with autism are here to teach us some important lessons about the world we have created. Humanity has gotten off track—often motivated by profit—leaving our bodies and our planet overburdened with toxins, and our families exhausted, stressed, and broken. It is for these very reasons that autism has emerged as an epidemic and a calling for humanity to wake up. We cannot continue to deplete our planet and our souls and still expect our children to thrive. Awakened by Autism is both a memoir and a practical guide for healing our children—and a starting point for healing our planet.