Liane Holliday Willey, EdD

Liane Holliday Willey is an inspirational speaker whose mission is to demonstrate the importance of accepting people with differences. All of her life, Liane knew she was different, but not until her daughter was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, did she realize the reason behind her differences.

 

As a child, Liane struggled with anxiety, socializing, obsessive-compulsive disorder, literal thinking, math dyslexia, sensory integration disorder and hyperlexia. She preferred the company of animals more than people, particularly her horses and every dog she met!   Rather than seeking invitations to birthday parties or slumber parties, Liane preferred to spend her time on anything having to do with the Wild West, 10 miles to the dot bicycle rides, and swimming in circles.  Liane’s first psychiatric evaluation came when she was four years old and though her doctor could not put a label on her unique personality, he was certain her test scores and behaviors were indicative of a pervasive developmental disorder.  At the urging of her mother, Liane’s father was also seen by the same psychiatrist who quickly determined father and daughter were two peas in a pod.  As a mentor and fellow Aspie, Liane’s father was dedicated in navigating her through the rough waters of school and life.  He knew first hand how tough life on the outside of normal would be.  Without his innate connection to her way of thinking, Liane feels certain she would not be nearly as close to neurotypical as she is today. 

 

Liane’s books and life have been featured in numerous U.S. newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations, including the USA Today, the New York Times, Psychology Today, ABC News, The Infinite Mind, the prestigious BBC-4 Radio Show and Wisconsin’s NPR have featured Liane and her work. Liane's life story is an inspiration of the feature film Normal Folk(currently in pre-production) as well as the focus of the video Asperger Syndrome: Crossing the Bridge with Tony Attwood.  This past summer, the feature film Adam included her book Pretending to be Normal as a reference on Asperger.   She is currently writing a book for females on the spectrum. 

 

Articles by Liane Click HERE to read articles by Liane. 

 

Books Authored / Coauthored by Liane

Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger's Syndrome, forward by Tony Attwood (Jessica Kingsley Publisher)

Asperger Syndrome in Adolescence Living with the Ups, the Downs and Things in Between forward by Luke Jackson (Jessica Kingsley Publisher)

Asperger Syndrome in the Family: Redefining Normal forward by Pam Tanquay