About
Carol Gray
Learn about Carol and her history with Social Stories
Meet Carol
Founder of Social Stories, Educator, and Advocate for Autism
Carol Gray is an educational consultant and the founder of Social Stories. She shares information and ideas via webinars, referral, resources, and direct services to autistic individuals, their families, and the professionals who work on their behalf. She is an internationally sought-after keynote and seminar speaker, and has completed over twelve hundred presentations.
Carol is best known for the development of Social Stories, a respected evidence-based practice used worldwide with people of all ages. Carol was the first teacher for autistic students at Jenison Public Schools in Jenison, Michigan (1977-2004). In 1989, Carol began writing stories for her students to share information that they seemed to be missing, information that so many of us take for granted. Many of the stories resulted in immediate and marked improvement in her students’ responses to daily events and interactions.
Carol is also known for initiating Social Humility, a very effective philosophy that is comprised of five elements that recognize that: 1) social mistakes surround autism and their solutions are shared; 2) all perspectives as ‘equally valid’: 3) curiosity is confusion with a good attitude; 4. it’s important to never argue perception and 5) to abandon all assumptions. She has completed groundbreaking work on some of the toughest topics in autism by reviewing the research, developing new theories, and proposing practical instructional strategies, most notably Gray’s Guide to Bullying (2004) and Gray’s Guide to Loss, Learning, and Students with ASD (2003).
Carol has received many awards for her international contribution to the education and welfare of children, adolescents, and adults. These include Social Thinking’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2015), Learning Spring School’s Spectrum Award (2012), the Autism Society of America’s Education Book of the Year (The New Social Story Book: Revised and Expanded 10th Anniversary Edition (2009), and the Barbara Lipinski Award (Lansing, Michigan, 2005).
Carol lives in west Michigan with her husband, Brian, two basset hounds, Hank and A.L.F., and an English bulldog, Quinn. Brian and Carol are the parents of two grown children, Joanna and Barrett, and grandparents to Ryan. In the summer, Carol lives “at the lake” where she is often found in the garden or the Wildwood Library, a small private library adjacent to their cottage. Carol founded the library to serve their community, and serves as its librarian each summer. In the winter, Carol enjoys continuing her life’s work and walks at the dog park.
Publications
- Gray, C. (2015). The new Social Story book: 15th Anniversary Edition
- Gray, C. (2012). The last bedtime story that we read each night. Arlington, TX: Sensory World / Future Horizons.
- Gray, C. (2010). The new Social Story™ book: Revised and expanded 10th anniversary edition. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.
- Gray, C. (2004). Social Stories™ 10.0. Jenison Autism Journal: 15, (4), 2-21.
- Gray, C. (2002). Friendship on the horizon: Can Social Stories pave the road? Includes Watch, listen, move closer, ease in, a 10 page rip-out insert. Jenison Autism Journal: 14, (3).
- Gray, C. (2000a). Writing Social Stories with Carol Gray [Video and accompanying workbook]. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.
- Gray, C. (1999). Gray’s guide to compliments. The Morning News: 11, (1), 20 page rip-out insert.
- Gray, C. (1998a). Social Stories and Comic Strip Conversations (pp.167-198). In Schopler, E., Mesibov, G., and Kunce, L. (Eds.), Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism? New York: Plenum Press.
- Gray, C. (1998b). The Advanced Social Story workbook. The Morning News: 10, (2), 24 page rip-out insert.
- Gray, C. (1995). Teaching children with autism to “read” social situations. In Quill, K.A. (Ed.), Teaching Children with Autism: Strategies to Enhance Communication and Socialization. New York: Delmar Publishers, Inc.
- Gray, C. (1994). Comic strip conversations. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.
- Gray, C. & Garand, J. (1993). Social Stories: Improving responses of individuals with autism with accurate social information. Focus on Autistic Behavior, 8, 1-10.
- Gray, C. & White, A. L. (2000). My Social Stories book. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Our Team
In addition to Carol Gray, each member of Team Social Stories offers genuine Social Stories™ 10.4 presentations.
Aaron Lanou
Educational Consultant
Aaron Lanou (he/him) is an educational consultant supporting schools and organizations to reach all kids with inclusive, strengths-based practices. Through the lens of Universal Design for Learning, Aaron coaches teachers and others to teach and support autistic students and all kids with a variety of academic, executive functioning, and social support needs. Aaron was previously a special education teacher in the New York City Public Schools, adjunct faculty at Hunter College and New York University, and Executive Director of the Nest Program at NYU, leading the nation’s largest inclusion program for autistic students.
A proud member of Carol Gray’s Team Social Stories, Aaron collaborates with Carol and the team to continually update and refine the Social Stories philosophy and approach. Aaron is available to facilitate Social Stories workshops in-person and online. Click here to contact Aaron for more information.
Catherine Faherty
Innovative Teacher, Trainer, & Consultant
Catherine Faherty has been an innovative teacher, trainer, and consultant, since the 1980’s - well before there were any books or media coverage about autism. During the last forty years Catherine’s work in the autism community has spanned classrooms, school systems, summer camps, job sites, homes, and clinics; and with people of all ages, from preschoolers to elders; locally, nationally, and internationally. Catherine is a former TEACCH® teacher, autism specialist, and Certified TEACCH® Advanced Consultant. She is currently a long-time member of Carol Gray’s Team Social Stories™, a Direct Support Professional with the Autism Society of North Carolina, a trainer for camp counselors at Camp Lakey Gap in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and a mentor to young professionals world-wide. Catherine Faherty’s books have won many awards, including the Autism Society of America’s 2009 Book of the Year. Much of her life’s focus has been on supporting autistic individuals, young and old with self-discovery – to help them identify and communicate their personal “what is true for me”.
Having been described as a bridge-builder, Catherine accepts invitations to provide thought-provoking speeches and lectures on autism-related topics, including the development and use of Social Stories™, and how to develop her individually designed “Communication Forms”. Keeping in mind humanity’s varied styles of thinking and communicating, Catherine challenges her audiences to let go of worn-out philosophies and routine reactions in the classroom, home, clinic, and in the community at large, while offering respectful ways of thinking and practical ideas to nurture authentic mutual communication. Click here to contact Catherine for information about her Social Stories presentations.
Dr. Siobhan Timmins
Physician
Dr. Siobhan Timmins holds a medical degree from the Royal London Hospital Medical School, University of London, and practiced medicine with an interest in developmental pediatrics in the U.K. Following the diagnosis of her son with autism at the age of two years she left clinical practice to source and implement effective strategies to improve the social understanding of children, adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum.
Siobhan is the author of four books of Successful Social Stories written for her son and other students over the years and published by Jessica Kingsley. The books, three of which have been bestsellers, cover the life span from childhood to adulthood.
In 2016 Siobhan was invited by Carol Gray to become a member of Team Social Stories and in this role supervises the Social Story Satellite Services across the UK. She delivers training in the approach both nationally and internationally. She has presented to a wide variety of organisations involved in the care of autistic people including special and mainstream schools and colleges, the National Autistic Society, Social Care providers, the Adult Learning Disability Service, and healthcare providers.
Underpinning all her work is a profound respect and admiration for autistic people and a strong belief that understanding their perspective of the world is fundamental to any successful intervention. Click here to contact Catherine for information about her Social Stories presentations.
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