The Son-Rise Program® at the
Autism Treatment Center of America
The Son-Rise Program is a powerful and effective treatment for children and adults challenged by Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Asperger’s Syndrome, and other developmental difficulties. The Son-Rise Program is different than – even opposite to – almost everything you’ve been told to do to help your child. Our program shows how joining children in their own unique worlds before asking them to join us in ours makes it possible for these special children to reach new heights!
The Autism Treatment Center of America offers Online Training Courses in The Son-Rise Program methodology for parents, professionals and caregivers. Consultation and counseling sessions have been made available for those seeking individualized help. The Son-Rise Program was awarded “Best Autism Therapy” at The National AutismOne Conference and continues to be a leading innovative and successful treatment program. Over the past 40 years, more than 45,000 individuals, families and children from over 140 different countries have attended programs presented by the Autism treatment Center of America.
FOUNDERS & HISTORY
The Son-Rise Program was created by authors and teachers Barry (“Bears”) Neil Kaufman and his wife Samahria Lyte Kaufman, when their son, Raun, was diagnosed with having a severe and incurable case of Autism and they were advised to put him in an institution. The Kaufmans instead, designed an innovative home-based, child-centered program (The Son-Rise Program) in an attempt to reach their little boy. Their unique program, which marked a complete departure from all existing methods of treatment, resulted in his Raun’s full recovery from autism. He transformed from a mute, withdrawn child with an IQ of less than 30 into a highly verbal, socially interactive youngster with a near-genius IQ. Raun went on to graduate from an Ivy League university, was a director of an educational center for school-aged children and eventually, for a period of time he taught and assumed directorial roles in The Son-Rise Program and in his parents teaching center.
Following the publication of Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues, which documents their journey with Raun, the Kaufmans wrote a screenplay of the book, that went on to became an award-winning NBC TV movie Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love seen in over 90 countries in the world. After this, the Kaufmans were flooded with requests for help. Responding to this demand, they established The Autism Treatment Center of America and The Option Institute®, where they have been offering The Son-Rise Program since 1983.
Mr. Kaufman additionally wrote many other books sharing stories of their work with other children, families and adults as well as books like Happiness Is A Choice which documents the underlying philosophy and educational perspective that underlies many of the programs they have created over the past 40 years. There are over three million copies of the Kaufman’s books in print in over 65 countries.
In addition to raising their three biological children, they chose to adopt three more children from circumstances of trauma, as a way to express their gratitude for what they had learned in their journey with Raun. One of their adopted sons had been seriously malnourished, resulting in physiological, motor and other challenges. Bears and Samahria worked with him and he thrived, demonstrating a keen mind and a wonderful ability to learn. Another son, whose mother had died and who had his throat slit by his birth father, found support, guidance and love in the expanding Kaufman family. Their adoption of an eleven-year-old girl from El Salvador, also a trauma survivor, completed their immediate family. The Kaufmans have passed this tradition on to their own children, some of who have adopted children from similar situations, further expanding their multi-racial, multi-cultural family.
We have seen that children
on the autism spectrum can:
- Learn to speak, even if they’ve never spoken.
- Experience real happiness, satisfaction, and love, even if they seem frustrated or combative right now.
- Have deep, meaningful, caring relationships with others, even though they may have appeared disconnected for years.
- Have fun, reciprocal conversations, even if they have a history of rigid communication.
- Make close friends, even if they don’t start with the interest or the tools to do so.
- Live a life that may include college, dates, sports, jobs, hobbies, travel, girlfriends/boyfriends – regardless of how many of these life experiences their parents have been told were simply not possible.
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WE DO NOT PUT LIMITS ON THE POSSIBILITIES FOR YOUR CHILD.
We can help you to bring your child as far across the bridge from Autism to recovery as possible. For some, this means complete recovery. For others, this means improvements in their child’s development, human connection, communication, skill acquisition and quality of life far beyond what most would have ever predicted
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WE PROVIDE HELP FOR TREATING AUTISM AND TEACH YOU TO:
- Establish a warm, interactive rapport with your child.
- Implement effective educational techniques.
- Enable your child to move beyond repetitive “stimming” behaviors.
- Move through challenging behaviors (such as tantrums or hitting).
- Become a confident teacher and advocate for your child.
- Motivate your child to learn–and to enjoy learning.
- Optimize your child’s learning environment.
- Jump-start speech and language development.
- Relax and have fun–without giving up what you want for yourself and your child.
- Recruit and train a team of volunteers and helpers.
- Find a sense of peace and comfort with your child’s present challenges.
- Create and sustain an attitude of hope and optimism about your child’s future.
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YOU’RE NOT GIVING UP ON YOUR CHILD. NEITHER ARE WE.
Call 1-877-766-7473 to book a FREE 25-minute Initial Call with one of our Program Advisors.
Alternatively, use our contact form for more options to get in touch with us.
Son-Rise Program Testimonials from Doctors and Professionals
I highly recommend The Son-Rise Program to all parents, to family members, and to practitioners of persons on the autism spectrum. It combines validated therapies with an easy-to-use approach. I frequently refer our patients to The Son-Rise Program, and I have seen the objective improvements in my patients with my own eyes. It has also helped my own son and our family tremendously. The Son-Rise Program will help make a huge impact in the lives of persons of all ages with ASDs, and it will provide great benefit and comfort to families and to practitioners.
Phillip C. DeMio, M.D.
Executive Director of the American Medical Autism Board and Chief Medical Officer of the US Autism and Asperger Association
The Son-Rise Program changed my life and the life of my daughter, who showed all the signs of early stage autism. Today she thrives because I knew exactly what to do: ignore all the dire predictions and immerse her in precisely the principles and techniques described in The Son-Rise Program. I couldn’t recommend this program more enthusiastically—not only for those who love a child or an adult with challenges, but for all parents and professionals. The Son-Rise Program turns the all-powerful principles of unconditional love into a practical blueprint that anyone can follow.
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Author, I Can See Clearly Now (and many other books)
Long before medical science understood that the brain is fluid and can be changed, The Son-Rise Program was treating children and adults with autism using this principle to guide them. Our children are not “stuck” with neurological problems. Autism is not hard-wired. I know this as fact, for my own son fully recovered from autism to become the president of his 6th grade class today (in a regular, mainstream school) thanks to my family’s adoption of The Son-Rise Program. As a medical professional, I know that medicine today offers little to these children other than a dismal prognosis. It doesn’t have to be that way! Not only do many children completely recover using this program, but whole families change and grow and thrive.
Wendy Edwards, M.D.
Pediatrician, B.Sc.N., F.R.C. P. (C)., Canada
In my practice of psychiatry in a teaching hospital over several decades, I have never been introduced to a set of clinical principles as powerful, elegant and effective as those of The Son-Rise Program. By joining children in their world, practitioners of The Son-Rise Program endeavor to eliminate the sense of isolation so often experienced by children on the autism spectrum. The outcomes are truly stunning: children make concrete and sweeping progress, often far outstripping their original prognosis, and parents overcome feelings of devastation and learn to accept, enjoy, and meaningfully help their children.
Ted McCarthy, M.D.
Former Chief of Psychiatry, Mercy Hospital, Maine
The Son-Rise Program is remarkable. The Kaufmans have done a stellar job of weaving together sensibility, science and meticulous learning from their own life experience with autism. Their approach is accessible to all parents; in a way of being that empowers them to become the “expert” for their child. Building on parents’ innate desire and ability, they provide an easy to understand framework and practical exercises that help nurture and nourish children’s minds and bodies—things you can do with your children at home. They share an eye opening perspective that has helped countless children around the world.
Julie Matthews, B.S., N.C.
Leading autism diet and nutrition specialist, cofounder of Nourishing Hope and author of Nourishing Hope for Autism, Nutrition & Diet Guide for Healing our Children.
As a physician trained in pediatrics and adult medicine, I have felt utterly hopeless in my quest to help my son. My profession generally offers little in traditional medicine. I took my son to see many doctors and he has received many hours of ABA, Speech, PT, Aquatic, Music, hypnotherapy and other therapies. I am sure that he received some particular benefit from these therapies, but nothing substantial. The Son-Rise Program Start-Up was the first time that I learned that my relationship with my son is the foundation to his recovery. He is reachable, he can be helped. We will have a new journey and a new world. My attitude and life have changed forever.
Audrey Powell, M.D.
Pediatric Physician, Texas | Child’s name: Mitchell, Age: 5, Diagnosis: Autism
I am a physician who treats thousands of children & adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and I have seen Raun K. Kaufman and The Son-Rise Program in action both for my own son and for countless others. The Program is sensible and useful for affected persons with ASD’s of all ages, and I refer patients to The Son-Rise Program frequently. The results have been scientifically validated and are excellent both for the family and the patient, and I’ve seen the objective improvements in my patients with my own eyes.
Phillip C. DeMio, M.D.
Executive Director: American Medical Autism Board, Chief Medical Officer: U.S. Autism and Asperger’s Association, Ohio
Because I have integrated the Kaufmans’ work into my own treatment program, my clients consistently achieve lasting changes in speech and their lives that many in my profession have deemed impossible. It has profoundly influenced both my work and my personal life.
Catherine S. Otto, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Pathologist/International Stuttering Specialist, Director, Total Immersion Fluency Training, New York
If only more professionals could experience The Son-Rise Program, I know they too would remember why they became teachers in the first place and would then know how they could help both students and parents find what their child is capable of.
Juliette Zaiser, M.Ed.
RDT, LCAT, Oregon
I am amazed at the simplicity and beauty of the techniques taught by the Kaufmans. It is such an effective system because it places what I believe to be the most valuable therapeutic component—loving attention—at the center of the process. As both a therapist and client I have found these techniques to be extremely helpful in changing feelings and behaviors.
Bert Voerman
Psychologist, The Netherlands
The techniques taught by the Kaufmans have increased my effectiveness in every area of my profession a thousand fold! It has enabled me to deepen and solidify my loving, respectful and nonjudgmental attitude toward the very special children and families with whom I work. With the knowledge that each of us is doing the best we can, and that we all have our own answers to the challenges we face, I am able to help my clients find their own way of maximizing their potential and live happy, fulfilling lives.
Ellen Stanley, Bachelor of Applied Science Early Childhood and Elementary Education
Developmental Therapist
As a Distinguished Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Neurology at Northwestern University and a leading researcher in the brain and language processing, I strongly endorse the Son-Rise Program. The program, shown to greatly improve the communication and social skills of children and adults on the autism spectrum, uses a unique and rich set of treatment procedures grounded in scientific principles. Recent experimental research examining the short-term and long-term effects of this method, in which I participated, attests to its efficacy. Indeed, if I had a child with autism, this is absolutely the program I’d select to help him/her.
Cynthia K. Thompson, Ph.D.
Leading Researcher, Distinguished Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Neurology, Northwestern University, Illinois