Tourette Warriors Book
Inspiring Stories of Resilience and Triumph
The superpowers that develop in individuals with Tourette Syndrome are forged through the fire of living with uncontrollable movement and vocal tics. Instead of focusing on embarrassment and alienation, author and Touretter Jason Michaels changes the narrative and chooses to celebrate empathy, compassion, and gratitude.
In Tourette Warriors, Michaels interviews adults with Tourette Syndrome who have overcome bullying, victim mentality, and social stigmas to live successful, normal, and sometimes, extraordinary lives.
These individuals are real-life examples of warriors, people who did not listen to the naysayers, nor did they retreat from the battle. Instead, these warriors bravely chose to live a path of resilience and in so doing, triumphed over the often-misunderstood disability Tourette Syndrome.
Tourette Warriors is for:
• Anyone with Tourette Syndrome or a tic disorder who has wondered if they can have a successful, “normal” life.
• Parents, family, and friends of someone with Tourette’s who wish to better understand their struggles and strengths.
• Medical professionals who want to study “hope-forward” case studies and understand what’s possible beyond diagnosis.
• Educators and school systems to better understand behavior vs. neurological expression and study success models for students with Tourette’s.
• Corporate and workplace leaders to view resilience, adaptability, and thriving with difference through a leadership lens.
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About the Author
Jason Michaels is an internationally acclaimed sleight-of-hand artist, keynote speaker, TEDx presenter, and best-selling author. With charisma and a magnetic stage presence, Jason inspires audiences worldwide—blending masterful sleight-of-hand with transformative perspective.
Diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at thirteen, Jason achieved what many thought impossible: he transformed a life-altering challenge into a dynamic career spanning five continents, elite stages, and Fortune 500 boardrooms.
“I wrote Tourette Warriors because I wanted people to see what’s possible—not just what’s difficult.”
SNEAK PEEK
From Interview with Journalist and TV Anchor Nikki Burdine
Jason Michaels: Can you speak to passion a little more at length? Many people I’ve interviewed for this book have explained how important it is to find something you can invest in.
Nikki: Burdine: Every time I speak to a mother who's worried about their child, my first instinct it to ask, “What does your child enjoy doing?” And they say, "Oh my gosh, they are obsessed with gymnastics", or “Soccer is their favorite way to spend an afternoon.” My advice is for them to lean into that passion and enroll the child in as many lessons as they can. When I was in high school, I danced competitively. My parents would always say, "How in the world can you do this routine for three and a half minutes flawlessly without ticking at all? But then you sit at the dinner table, and you can't get through a conversation." And I never had an answer for it.
Jason Michaels: When I’m on stage, the exact same thing happens to me. I’ve never had an answer for why it happens, other than I think it is a God-thing.
Nikki Burdine: I think every person who has Tourette's can say the same thing. When your mind is that focused, we know if we break for a single second then a waterfall of tics might come on. We won’t recover from that dramatic shift for a while. So, it’s focus, focus, focus until we get through that moment, whatever it is. For me, it was a dance routine.
And then when I went to college, I was like, "What do I want to do with my life?" And television journalism was it for me. And once again, the first thought that goes through people’s minds is, "How can you be a TV news anchor with Tourette's? Aren't you just going to scream out four letter words all the time?" And I say, "Of course not. Not every person who has Tourette’s is afflicted the same way. Also, that’s not all we do." I feel fortunate that I am able to hone in on the present moment, whether it was a dance routine or delivering current events.
Now, don't get me wrong, because during the commercial break, most likely in the bathroom, I'm going to do some weird things. Nevertheless, finding out what your passion is and focusing on that is the best way to control your tics. You may really love math, battling on the debate team, or enjoy reading. No matter the pursuit, find that and go in 100-percent. Every person I've ever met with Tourette's has something that they really love or excel at.
Jason Michaels: What would you want a parent or friend of someone that has Tourette’s to know? While it is kind to say you want to be supportive, if you haven’t lived through the condition, it’s hard to know what it’s like.
Nikki Burdine: Advice should vary based on the person’s age and their personality. When I was in middle school, my parents' first instinct was to put me in therapy, which I hated. I did not want to talk about Tourette’s. Rather, I wanted to bury this thing under the rug and not look it in the eye.
If you have a kid like that, one who does not want to face this challenge head on, just be there to support them and listen when they are ready to talk. Forcing me to open up about it was never going to happen. My parents gave me a safe space to tic out whenever I needed to without giving it unnecessary attention.
As strange as it might sound, I wanted to tic alone. Coping with my tics solo allowed me to get it all out of my system. The last thing I wanted was attention but rather to get that energy out so I could move on with our conversation, or the action I was doing.
Some kids might feel differently which could lead to a conversation where you say, “Hey, listen…when you have these tics, what do you want me to do? Do you want me to ignore you? Do you want me to walk away? Do you want me to pretend like it's not happening?" That's what I wanted, but every kid might be different.
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Tourette Warriors Launches MAY 15, 2026