Submitted photo, Mamta Mishra (right) and her son Parag Mishra
By Karla McArthur, Correspondent
Autism Foundation of Gadsden founder and president Mamta Mishra is working to expand autism awareness and understanding among parents, caregivers and the broader community through education, advocacy and personal insight.
Mishra’s latest book, Energy Management: Mantras for Caregivers, offers strategies and encouragement for those caring for children and adults with chronic disease or who are aging with illnesses. Drawing from her own experience as a caregiver to her son, Parag, who has autism, Mishra shares coping tools she says helped her avoid the burnout common among caregivers.
“I wanted to stay out of the negative state by replacing negative behavior with positive,” Mishra said of her motivation for writing the book.
Through personal anecdotes and practical guidance, Mishra emphasizes the importance of positive thinking and self-care. She writes that caregivers can “optimize physical energy by realigning it with mental, emotional and spiritual energy.”
One chapter, titled “Decluttering,” encourages caregivers to make space for healing by being kinder to themselves and learning to forgive mistakes. Mishra also uses the analogy of an oxygen mask on an airplane, noting that caregivers must first care for themselves before they can effectively care for others.
“As caregivers, we need ways and means of behavior intervention — creating a bridge between the islands we’ve created,” she said.
Mishra will continue that message at the foundation’s fifth annual Autism Spectrum Conference, set for 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 18, 2026, at The Venue at Coosa Landing. The public event is designed as a cross-professional conference and may be used for continuing medical education and continuing education units through participating agencies. Gadsden City Schools is allowing a variance day for educators who attend.
This year’s speakers include:
Martha K. Loukotka, admission and transitions coordinator at Horizons School at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
Mishra, author and conference organizer
Jennifer McInerney, attorney in Vestavia Hills
Fatima Wise, collaborative special education teacher
Dr. Anthony C. Metcalfe, family physician
Topics will include preparing students with autism for postsecondary programs and independent living, recognizing and managing meltdowns and tantrums, special needs planning and government benefit protection, caregiver skills training and anxiety in the autism spectrum population.
Through her writing and the annual conference, Mishra said she hopes to equip caregivers with practical tools while fostering greater understanding and inclusion for individuals with autism throughout the community.
For more information about the 2026 ASD Conference, visit asdofgadsden.org.
