01/04/2026
April is Autism Acceptance Month.
For me, this has never just been a month. It’s my whole world.
Micah is the reason MICAH Inclusion exists. He is the reason I stepped into this work, the reason I kept learning, and the reason I continue to advocate every day.
Eleven years ago, we started ABA therapy with Micah. He wasn’t yet three. The pathway forward felt uncertain and the supports we needed simply weren’t there in our community. So we travelled to Perth and took a leap into something we didn’t fully understand yet, but knew we had to try.
This photo was taken on that very first day.
I remember how big it all felt. The uncertainty, the hope, the questions. I didn’t know then where this path would lead, only that I needed to understand my child and find a way to support him.
He is also the reason I stepped away from a career I had worked hard for, and took risks I never imagined taking. Not because it was easy, but because it mattered. I needed to learn, to do better, and to build something that didn’t exist. Not just for Micah, but for other families walking a similar path.
That journey has shaped everything. Our family, our values, and the heart of MICAH Inclusion.
Now, Micah is just weeks away from turning fourteen.
He is incredible. He has developed so many skills and continues to grow into himself in his own way. He is funny, kind, and brings so much joy to our lives.
At the same time, his vulnerability is still there. He will need lifelong supports. That hasn’t changed, and it’s important we say that honestly. Acceptance means holding both. His strengths, and his support needs.
What I know, without question, is that behaviour science has made a real difference in Micah’s life. When it is done well, with compassion, respect and with the person at the centre, it creates opportunity. It builds skills. It supports a life that is full, meaningful, and genuinely joyful.
That is what Autism Acceptance Month means to me. Not just awareness, but access. Access to the right support, at the right time, delivered in the right way.
Micah will always be my why.
🧡 Liz