The Light I Couldn't Name: How I Learned to See, Name, and Love My Autistic Self

"I spent years trying to fit the mold-until I realized I was never meant to."

The Light I Couldn't Name is a hybrid memoir that blends raw storytelling with compassionate insight, chronicling one woman's late-diagnosed journey through autism, identity, and self-acceptance.

With lyrical warmth and unflinching honesty, the author reflects on her life-from early childhood sensitivities and missed signs, to the quiet overwhelm of masking, and the disorienting plunge into motherhood. Along the way, she gently unpacks core autistic traits like sensory processing differences, emotional regulation, special interests, social exhaustion, and the lifelong habit of trying to "pass."

Part memoir, part guide, this book offers validation, education, and a deep sense of belonging to readers who've struggled to see themselves represented.

Perfect for:

- Women discovering or exploring late-diagnosed autism

- Parents of neurodivergent children

- Therapists and educators seeking real-life insight

- Anyone curious about the lived experience behind the label

Whether you're autistic, suspect you might be, or love someone who is, The Light I Couldn't Name is an intimate, empowering invitation to see autism not as something broken-but as a complex and meaningful way of being in the world.

Serena Poganski is an author, mother of two, and late-diagnosed autistic woman living inPennsylvania. She earned her Master's degree in Clinical Psychology in 2018 and works as aneurodiversity-affirming behavior therapist supporting autistic children and their families.Through both her personal journey and professional lens, she writes with warmth, honesty, anda deep commitment to helping others better understand the autistic experience.