News and Events
Upcoming Events
Mothers in the Light
Join four authors for an intimate morning of storytelling, conversation and connection exploring the many faces of motherhood.
Benita Bensch, Porscia Lam, Lisa Taylor and Sarah Churcher each bring a distinct perspective on the identity shifts, challenges and quiet transformations that motherhood brings.
Together, they’ll share the stories and insights at the heart of their work – live, in one room, for one morning.
The format is relaxed and warm: arrive for coffee, settle in for four story-led shares and an open conversation, then stay for a grazing lunch, informal Q&A and book sales and signing with all four authors.
This is the kind of morning that will stay with you long after you’ve left.
News
Navigating School Holidays (webinar recording now available)
Autism Awareness Australia will be hosting a free webinar on preparing for the festive season and holidays with autistic children.
I will be one of four panel members sharing some hard-earned wisdom and real-life strategies for surviving and thriving over the Christmas break. Join us live, or register to get the recording.
Wine with Wita podcast episode
This week The Unlocking was featured on Wine with Wita, the number one podcast in Australia for parents raising children with disabilities. Below is an excerpt from the Wine with Wita show notes.
Porscia’s son Harry was diagnosed with autism during Melbourne’s gruelling lockdowns. What followed was a journey filled with confusion, heartbreak, and profound learning , not just about autism, but about herself, her culture, and what it really means to advocate for your child.
In this heartfelt conversation, Porscia shares:
💗 How her son’s anxiety and demand avoidance shaped every part of their day
💗 The moment she gave up her corporate career to become his full-time carer
💗 Why she chose to try ABA therapy, despite the controversy
💗 What society often gets wrong about therapy, autism, and ‘normal’ development
💗 How her cultural upbringing complicated the process of seeking a diagnosis
💗 Why she wrote her book to help other parents feel less alone
You’ll laugh, cry, and come away with a deeper appreciation for the emotional labour that often sits behind early intervention.
The Unlocking earns a Kirkus Star
I’m thrilled that The Unlocking has received a wonderful Kirkus Review and earned a coveted Kirkus Star that marks books of exceptional merit. Kirkus Reviews is a trade reviewer that sees 8000-10000 books come before it each year. Around 10% of those books are given a Kirkus Star. You can read the review below.
AUStism 2025
I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of Autism Awareness Australia’s “AUStism” event in Sydney. I shared parts of the story which I documented in THE UNLOCKING among autistic adults, parents, advocates and the professionals who work so tirelessly for this community. It felt particularly meaningful to bring PDA into the wider autism network.
Recently, with Harry getting older, I’ve become absorbed by accounts of autistic adults who choose to share their experiences. Teo Tissue (Love on the Spectrum), Tamsin Colley (Paralympian) and Ronan Soussa (Love of the Spectrum) generously took to the stage to do this. James Hunt (who you might know better as @storiesaboutautism) was another parent storyteller. His is a very different story to mine, and I learned so much anyway.
Thanks to those in the audience who came to get their books signed and have a chat (and share their wisdom with me). I’m blown away by the love, positivity and vision of those around me. A big thank you to the good people at Autism Awareness Australia for hosting a brilliant event.
The Australian
Read the article, ‘Hardwired to fight every demand’: what Harry’s family did to find happiness by feature writer for The Australian, Fiona Harari.
An extract from The Unlocking was included as part of the feature.