“Since the Autism Treatment Center opened in 1983, there have been families upon families visiting our custom-designed Son-Rise Program playroom learning The Son-Rise Program® techniques. The essential technique that set us apart from all other therapies of that time, and which has revolutionized Autism treatment to this day, is The Son-Rise Program technique … Joining the Ism.
“I feel blessed to have been trained as a Son-Rise Program Facilitator and Teacher since 1993. That’s right, I have joined thousands upon thousands of isms! I can easily say it is my favorite technique. Why? Because Joining a child’s Ism is the ultimate way of connecting unconditionally with someone on the Autism Spectrum in the language they know and favor … their unique, repetitious behavior. As a shout out to all the hours, years, and diverse ways ‘we’ have all joined the ism since 1983, here is a story from one of our Son-Rise Program Facilitators demonstrating the power and magic of Joining the Ism.
“Please enjoy and maybe reflect on your unique Joining The Ism experiences.
“I Joined My Friend For Two Hours During His Red Light … and Then He Did Something New!
“He was in a Red Light for 2 hours (a Red Light is when our children are in their own world and not available for interaction) and then continued to do his repetitious activity, by himself for 2 hours. I, of course, followed his lead and used our Son-Rise Program technique of Joining, as he repetitiously pushed his orange letters across the floor. I did not need him to be any different, or to do anything other than what he had chosen. I believe he knew that, as I slid my own plastic letters from one wall to the other. Making my letter B bump into the letter W until both had reached their final destination. The other wall! Then we started over again! After 2 hours of bonding and Joining my new blue-eyed friend, his Dad walked into the room. His son then did something that his Father had never seen before!
“This 5-year-old boy looked at his Dad and with a soft voice said, ‘Papa, I want to kiss Brandi goodbye.’ He and his wife have always encouraged him to kiss his loved ones goodbye. It is part of their culture to do so, and he would, but only after being asked. This time he did it spontaneously and because he wanted to! His Dad was over the moon as he watched his son create such a loving act of friendship!
“Remember, there are no small moments and there is never any wasted time, when you trust your child’s Red Lights!”
Written by Suzanne Pruss, Son-Rise Program Teacher