By: Ledger Wham, Contributing Writer
ledgerwham@gmail.com
Spartanburg local and internet presence Kaelynn Partlow released her book Life On The Bridge about her commentary and experience as an autistic therapist. Partlow is best known for her appearance on “Love on the Spectrum” and her social media platforms, where she promotes autism advocacy. Along with her national presence, Partlow is very active in the Spartanburg community. Partlow has been a Registered Behavior Technician with the Project Hope Foundation since 2015.
The Project Hope Foundation is a non-profit organization specializing in autism services and support. Their Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) focused programs include therapy, education, adult services, and community engagement. The Project Hope Foundation has eight campuses across the upstate, including Greenville, Spartanburg, Woodruff, and more. Through these programs and campuses, the project reaches a wide range of people and provides diverse resources to meet various needs.
To debut her new book, Partlow gave an author talk at the Spartanburg County Library Headquarters. She and Lisa Lane, a Project Hope Foundation colleague and friend of Partlow, led a conversation about a variety of topics. The event was on March 18th, the day after the book’s release, at 6:30 pm. Supported by the Hub City Bookshop, the event gave away 100 free, signed copies of the book to attendees, with more available for purchase. The author’s talk drew a tremendous turnout, with over 200 seats filled, and included a meet-and-greet with Partlow afterwards.
One of the topics Partlow and Lane focused on was their experience at Project Hope. Lane is one of the co-founders of Project Hope and met Partlow when she was 13 and interested in what the program had to offer. Lane stated, “ Kaelynn had a chance to become interested in working with other folks on the spectrum.” This opportunity led to Partlow’s apprenticeship with Project Hope and becoming a Registered Behavior Technician. Partow stated that this has allowed her to work with a diverse range of people who help inform her personal and internet-based advocacy efforts.
Partlow then spoke to some of the topics within her book. She talked about social media and how it is important to take breaks from it. Partlow said that social media helps her reach a broader audience with her message, but she recognizes the adverse effects of regular social media use.
Partlow was then asked what advice she could give to young autistic people. She talked about “self-managed accommodations,” a concept that focuses on things you can control, like putting on headphones or leaving a room. Partlow highlighted self-advocacy and that this can look different for everyone, especially those with varying levels of language ability. This also ties to her mentions of the college experience as an autistic person. It can be challenging to find your place at college, but Partlow emphasized that this is a process and can be supported by self-advocacy and exploring who you are over time.
Partlow and Lane are two outstanding members of the Spartanburg Community, especially with their work at the Project Hope Foundation. You can purchase a copy of Partlow’s book, Life On The Bridge: Linking My World to Yours as an Autistic Therapist, at the Hub City Bookshop on 186 West Main Street or online. You can find Kaelynn Partlow on Instagram (@kaelynnvp), YouTube (@Kaelynnism), Facebook (Kaelynn’s Autistic Angle), and TikTok (@kaelynn_vp).
