A Little Less Broken: How an Autism Diagnosis Finally Made Me Whole

One woman’s decades-long journey to a diagnosis of autism, and the barriers that keep too many neurodivergent people from knowing their true selves By the time Marian Schembari was diagnosed with autism at thirty-four years old, she had been labeled with Tourette’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, and depression. Therapists suggested she was a highly sensitive person, offered breathing techniques, and instructed her to practice gratitude journaling. None of this helped. She spent years hiding tics and frequently shutting down, wondering why she couldn’t just act like everyone else. It wasn’t until she witnessed a friend’s diagnosis and sought out professional testing that the pieces clicked into place. She wasn’t just odd or socially awkward, but actually autistic. Today, more people than ever are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder later in life. Improvements in the ability to recognize the signs have made it easier to properly identify neurodivergence, especially women and girls who have learned to mask their differences. But it’s still all too easy to go decades feeling broken. A Little Less Broken is Schembari’s unflinchingly honest story of self-consciousness and doubt, frustration and anger, but also love, motherhood, and self-fulfillment. From the time in second grade when she hid in a closet, carefully writing down notes as her friends explained why they no longer liked her, to an adulthood where she can confidently ask for the accommodations at work and at home, Shembari offers solidarity for all those finding freedom while finding themselves.