Hope: The Key to it All

I have been working with families with children with autism here at the Autism Treatment Center of America for over 23 years using The Son-Rise Program® principles.  In those years I have been blessed to have such profoundly beautiful experiences with the families and children that I have worked with.  I wanted to share with you a recent experience I have had with a family that I have just come to know.

This mother, and her son, have a great message of hope to share with you:

I met a mother named Sarah at our Son-Rise Program Start-Up program in August of 2013.  She was a focused and engaged participant who was determined to help her 23 year old son John.   She told me this was the first time she had ever been told that she was in fact capable of and could help her son.  She had never thought that she, his mother, had enough power or knowledge or ability to be the one to make a difference in John’s life.

Two months later, during our first Son-Rise Program consultation she told me her incredible story:

Upon returning home she took four weeks off from her job and worked with John eight hours per day, seven days per week.  She brought all of her passion and love and put into practice the techniques that she had learned in the training program.   John, who had only ever said, “I want popcorn” and “I want pizza” had begun to talk.  I mean, really talk.  He could answer any question she asked, give his thoughts on any topic, he could read and do PHD level math.  He could explain his experience, his feelings, and his dreams for himself.  It was as if she had ‘unlocked’ his world, and he had let her in.  She was completely in a state of joyous shock!  She told me, “I cannot believe this is happening.   For the last 20 years I never thought that I could help my son.  I never knew that all of this was possible.  I cannot believe that after 23 years I can talk to my son.  This is the greatest experience of my life. “

Some snapshots of her experience:

• One day her son started to cry at the table (which was very unusual) and she asked him why he was crying and he replied, “Because I can talk now”.
• When she asked John what he wanted to do with his life he replied, “I want to be a mathematician”. When she asked him where he would like to work he told her: “NASA” (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
• In her excitement to discover all that her son is capable of, one day she asked him if he knew how to type and asked if he wanted to type on the computer.  To her amazement, he can type!  He took his finger and typed out these words:
• “I can talk now.  My feeling is wonderful.  Mommy helped.”

All of this began with one very determined mother who had hope.   Hope is the fire that ignited the human spirit.  Hope is what gets us out of bed in the morning.  Hope is the foundation of The Son-Rise Program.   You are no different than Sarah.  You love your child.  That love is a powerful force and Hope is its vehicle.

“Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.”

Martin Luther