Rita Eagle, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologis with 45 years of experience. Currently she is doing clinical work and training with a focus on autism and mental retardation at the Harbor Regional Center in California. She has three adult children, including Benjamin, the inspiration of this book, now 36 years old, who has mental retardation and features of an autistic spectrum disorder. Dr. Eagle taught at City College and Brooklyn College in New York and supervised clinicians and doctoral candidates.