The Option Institute & The Autism Treatment Center of America

What We Teach

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Eight Benefits

Endorsements

Meet the Founders

Teaching Staff

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Autism Treatment Center

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Autism Treatment Center of America

Home of the Son-Rise Program® Since 1983

The Kaufmans, founders of The Option Institute and The Autism Treatment Center of America^TM, are also creators of The Son-Rise Program®, a powerful, effective, and totally unique treatment for children and adults challenged by Autism and related developmental difficulties. This innovative program was the first to suggest that anyone with these diagnoses had the potential for extraordinary healing and growth. Call (413) 229-2100 or visit autismtreatmentcenter.org

What Is The Son-Rise Program®?
The Son-Rise Program is a comprehensive system of treatment designed to help children dramatically improve in all areas of learning, development, communication and skill acquisition. It offers highly effective educational techniques for creating a home-based, child-centered program.

What Makes The Son-Rise Program® Different?
The Son-Rise Program® innovated a treatment modality that includes joining children instead of going against them. The program places parents as key teachers and directors of their own programs and utilizes the home as the most nurturing environment. The Son-Rise Program® dared to suggest that respect and deep caring are the most important factors impacting a child's motivation to learn, making acceptance and love a meaningful part of every teaching process. We first seek to create bonding and a safe environment, and then apply sound, time-tested strategies pioneered by The Son-Rise Program®.

The Son-Rise Program® Start-Up
Our core and comprehensive program for parents and professionals delivers all the fundamental skills to design a Son-Rise Program. (Weeklong)

The Son-Rise Program® Maximum Impact
This training addresses specific issues and challenges impacting your program and helps you set clear intentions and goals for your child (Weeklong).

The Son-Rise Program® New Frontiers
This advanced program focuses on curriculum, social education and social development. (Weeklong)

The Son-Rise Program® Intensive
The most comprehensive, focused and powerful intervention program available for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Five-day personalized educational immersion for you and your child. (Weeklong)

"In just 4 months of doing The Son-Rise Program®, Charlotte outstripped every prediction the 'experts' made for her. She went from having no functional language to being able to ask for every food or toy she wanted. More exciting than that, she now asks for interactive games, she's incredibly physically affectionate, she's asking questions, she understands concepts and her eye contact is fantastic! I could go on and on . . ."
— Elizabeth Thomas, Son-Rise Program® Mom, Pennsylvania

"My wife and I have tried many ways of working with our son since we became aware of his difficulties at one year of age. He spent 4 years in and out of various programs and therapies where he made little progress. Then we went to The Option Institute. In the 6 months since we have been doing The Son-Rise Program® with him, his communication skills have gone from an 18-to a 36-month-old level. His autistic behaviors have decreased from 80% of the time to 30%. He is choosing interactions with people over his former obsessive actions with objects. He is learning new words daily. He is now learning at a faster rate than a normal 3-year-old. Miracles Happen!"
— Joe C., Computer Programmer, Canada