Producing Extrordinary Results for More Than 40 Years
The Kaufmans, founders of the Option Institute and the Autism Treatment Center of America, 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.
Since 1983, the Autism Treatment Center of America has provided innovative training programs for parents and professionals caring for children challenged by Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) and other developmental difficulties. Over 42,000 families have been helped by The Son-Rise Program.
Call (413) 229-2100 or visit www.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.
The Son-Rise Program treats children with autism by embracing the physical and emotional expressions of autism with care and understanding. Instead of forcing a child to conform to a world they do not yet understand, we seek to engage the child in their world first, striving to understand what will be most effective to the individual child’s growth. Through enthusiastic and playful interactions, the children invite us into their world, then we guide them into ours.
What Makes The Son-Rise Program Different?
The Son-Rise Program was the first to view Autism as a relational and neurological disorder rather than a behavioral disorder. Having worked with thousands of families from over 80 countries, we have found that focusing on social relationships is the most effective way to help a child, or young adult with Autism to change the course of their lives. To this effect, we place parents, rather than doctors or therapists, as the key teachers in any child’s life. Their long-term commitment and deep love makes them the ideal people to inspire caring human relationships with their children.
The Son-Rise Program Start-Up
The Son-Rise Program Start-Up is a 5-day group training program for parents, relatives, professionals and others looking to facilitate meaningful progress or recovery in their children (from toddlers to adults) challenged by Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders, PDD, Asperger’s Syndrome and other related developmental difficulties.
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Programs & Services offered at the
Autism Treatment Center of America
Reviews
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
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