A Miracle of the Heart

A Miracle of the Heart is father and son's memoir of shared discovery. Told in essays written over a thirty-year period, the book offers a time capsule of Jacob's growth and the family's experience.

In transcribed father-son conversations following each essay, the triumph of Jacob's story unfolds. Jacob speaks openly and insightfully about the challenges faced by those with autism. As an advocate for those with spectrum challenges, Jacob observes: "We should be very cautious of people who try to 'cure' autism."

At the heart of the book is DIR/Floortime, a relationship-based developmental framework for understanding and addressing the challenges of children with developmental and learning differences. The Raphael family's embrace of this framework, founded by Drs. Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder, unlocked Jacob's growth and nurtured a bright, funny, and thoughtful young man. The book recounts those years with honesty about the struggles alongside the joy of each step forward.

While the topic of A Miracle of the Heart is autism, its core theme is the majesty of shared journeys - even the most difficult ones. Its messages of hope and redemption will speak to individuals and families of all faith traditions who seek meaning and transformation in their own lives.