Autism and the Two of Us

How Understanding Each Other Can Help You Build a Stronger, Lasting Love

Cindy N. Ariel

HardcoverPaperbacke-bookprint + e-book
Hardcover
July 10, 2026
ISBN 9781462563371
Price: $30.00
236 Pages
Size: 6" x 9"
pre-order
Paperback
July 10, 2026
ISBN 9781462560189
Price: $19.99
236 Pages
Size: 6" x 9"
pre-order
e-book
July 10, 2026
PDF and Accessible ePub ?
Price: $19.99
236 Pages
pre-order
print + e-book
Paperback + e-Book (PDF and Accessible ePub) ?
Price: $39.98 $23.99
236 Pages
pre-order
professor copy Digital professor copy available on VitalSource once published ?

Accepting each other's differences is important for all couples—especially when one partner is autistic and the other is not. Psychologist Cindy N. Ariel has spent decades counseling neurodiverse couples to help their relationships thrive. This compassionate book is packed with tools to help both partners understand how their brains work differently and find solutions to common struggles, emphasizing that nothing is “wrong” with either of them. From managing household routines and money to navigating each person's wants and needs about socializing, parenting, hobbies, sex and intimacy, and much more, clear and loving communication is key. Every chapter includes vivid stories, self-reflection questions, conversation starters, and action plans to build connection. Neurodiverse couples can keep exploring, creating, and sustaining the relationship they envision. Dr. Ariel shows how.

“A much-needed resource for couples navigating a neurodiverse relationship. With warmth and respect for both partners, Dr. Ariel emphasizes that neurodiversity is a natural variation in how people are wired—and the most common brain wiring is not inherently correct. This book shows how neurology shapes communication, empathy, intimacy, and connection, and helps you apply these insights to your own relationship, translating knowledge into meaningful change.”

—Jodi Carlton, MEd, neurodiverse relationship expert; host, YOUR Neurodiverse Relationship podcast

About the Author

Cindy N. Ariel, PhD, is a Philadelphia-based psychologist who works with individuals and couples from a collaborative, psychodynamic, and empowering feminist lens. In 1992, she cofounded Alternative Choices, an independent group psychology practice that specializes in supporting neurodiverse individuals and their families. Dr. Ariel is widely recognized for her work with couples in neurodiverse relationships. She combines clinical insight with compassion and advocacy to promote understanding, acceptance, and the celebration of diversity, including neurodiversity.

Audience

Couples in which at least one partner is neurodivergent; also of interest to mental health professionals.