Son-Rise Start Up Program

These are all pictures from last week during my trip to Massachusetts for the Son-Rise Program training. It was awesome. I'm so glad that I was able to do it. I really can't explain the whole concept in a paragraph, but basically the Son-Rise program is a parent-directed, child-centered program based on the principles of love, acceptance, and respect. If you know ABA...well, this is opposite. Instead of stopping Kyan from stimming, I join him when he's stimming. Instead of trying to get Kyan to do what I want him to do, I follow his lead. They helped me to have a more accepting and non-judgemental attitude toward him. It has really helped me to change my perspectives with lots of things...not just Kyan. This is also the only program that focuses on the entire family and not just the child. AND I finally was able to connect with 90 other people just like me...Proactive parents and volunteers who have hope for their special children.

Here we are at the airport saying goodbye. It was really hard being away from my boys for a whole week, but it was so worth it.

Here is what some of the cabins look like from the outside.
This is me with my roomie, Tanya. She is from Wichita and her son is only 10 days older than Kyan. We have a lot in common and really hit it off well.

This is the room we shared. I got to be on top!

We went hiking in the woods. Isn't this what people look like when they're hiking?

This is Saralee on a really huge wooden swing set.

The huge house on the top of the hill is where the offices are. What a beautiful place to work.

This is the view from the house on top of the hill. The area was gorgeous.

This is Saralee and Lydia, the two other girls who shared our cabin apartment. They are both volunteers who have already been running Son-Rise Programs.

This is a pond on the campus that has crystal clear water.

Everything was so pretty.

Thursday night everyone decided to go down the road for a little party off campus. (There was supposed to be a live band but it cancelled at the last minute). Did you know that 10 people can fit (uncomfortably) into a PT Cruiser? It looked like a clown car.

This is me, my roomie Tanya, Monique (from CA), and Gretchen (from Atlanta).

I love this picture because the four people (not including the half face girl) are all from different countries. The three people dancing all speak different languages, but they all got down together to some Funky Cold Medina (is that how you spell that song?). This is so descriptive of the entire week together.

In our class there were people from 11 different countries and 22 different states in the US. The people who couldn't speak English were given headsets, and translators sat in a booth during classes.

This is me with Brian, my family counselor. He talked to me numerous times on the phone before making the decision to go, and he gave me advice while I was there. He recovered his severely autistic son using the Son-Rise Program, and now he and his wife moved to Massachusetts to work for the Autism Treatment Center.

This is where we spent our days. You can see pictures of our children on the walls behind us. I sat in the front row almost every day! (that is so unlike me). Jewell on my right lives in St Louis, then me, Ursela, Monique, and Lydia.

This is me with Bryn, who taught several of the classes. She is Raun Kaufman's older sister and daughter of the founders of the treatment center. She also recovered her adopted daughter from autism.

Monique, Lydia, me, and Tanya.

Crazy timer shot with Saralee.

Here we are again. I'm holding Kyan's picture from the wall. I really met some amazing people there who are going through the same things. We all formed a big support group and plan on continuing to support each other in starting up our own Son-Rise programs. It was a great experience.