The First Son-Rise Program® Playroom

Dear Sweet People,

Please enjoy this inspirational story of the very first Son-Rise Program® Playroom and its influence on so many parents, children, professionals and volunteers.
[Photo Notation: Samahria and Raun in the first Son-Rise Program Playroom]

This is a photo of Samahria working with Raun in our bathroom (the first Son-Rise Program Playroom). We chose this space because it was free of distractions. The space was small and intimate. In this room, Raun, profoundly Autistic, made his first meaningful eye contact. In this room, he allowed us to touch him instead of pulling away. In this room, we created a human bridge which allowed us to cross into his world so one day he could cross back into ours. As many of you know, after three and a half years, he emerged from his Autism and today he bears no sign of his original condition. Today, as a lead teacher and trainer at the Option Institute™/the Autism Treatment Center of America™, he travels the world lecturing, giving presentations and working directly with families. It all began in that tiny bathroom.

Now The Son-Rise Program is WORLDWIDE. What exactly does that mean? In our last Son-Rise Program Start-Up training program (in which we taught folks how to carry out the program with their children) on our 100-plus acre campus in western Massachusetts, we had moms, dads, and professionals attending from Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, India, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, S. Korea, Tanzania, Uganda, England, Ireland - and, oh, yes, from the United States, from New York, Texas, California, Hawaii, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas, Kansas, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota and many other states. It's helping more and more children (from more than 90 different countries) by using a very loving, respectful method that treats these children like the gifts they are.

With Love and Smiles,
Bears
Barry (Bears) Neil Kaufman Co-Founder of the Option Institute & Autism Treatment Center of America™, Home of The Son-Rise Program®, Author: Happiness Is A Choice, Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues and No Regrets.