Autism Treatment Center of America

Autism Treatment Center of America Home of Do Autism Differently® (formerly The Son-Rise Program). There is no such thing as false hope.
(930)

We train parents & caregivers to reach their autistic/special children of all ages through love, respect, play, and intrinsic motivation. Do Autism Differently Principles:
• Each child’s/adult’s potential is limitless.
• Autism is not a behavioral disorder; it is a relational, interactional & Sensory Challenge.
• Motivation, not repetition, holds the key to all learning.
• "Stimming," repetiti

ve behaviors, have important meaning and value to the child.
• The parent is the child's best resource.
• Every child/adult can progress in the right environment.

02/13/2026

After careful consideration and extensive financial review, the Board of Directors of Do Autism Differently® has made the difficult decision to dissolve the organization.

Despite meaningful work and sincere attempts to adapt our programs, the organization was ultimately unable to achieve the level of sustainability required for long-term operation.

We are deeply grateful to the families, staff, donors, and partners who supported this work.

Additional information related to timelines, credits, and next steps will be shared directly with affected individuals.

02/09/2026

🌟 Celebrating Real Transformation! 🌟

We’re cheering on ALL the incredible families who are experiencing the beautiful benefits for their child AND themselves through running a Do Autism Differently program!

One amazing parent shared: “This program has helped me be more empathetic to my child. It has bridged the gap from weird to compassion, love, and acceptance. It has helped me balance being a Yes Parent without letting go of my healthy boundaries. Power struggles with my child have lessened tremendously. I now can see meltdowns or outbursts as an opportunity to look within.”

Click our link or call us to speak to our one of awesome program advisors🤓📲 413-229-2100 or international 011 -413-229-2100

02/06/2026

FROM BECKY (Do Autism Differently Teacher)❤ Playing with hundreds of children on the autism spectrum has touched me so deeply. Here is a poem I wrote, about one such child, he helped me be the person I am, and I owe him the world. His name is Malachi - meaning...

Gift from God.

“With two little chewy tubes clasped in his hands

He tossed them sporadically, watching them land

I gathered two items that I would throw too

I poised myself carefully, aimed and then… threw

We both did a happy dance, landing on trails,

of the items we tossed, as if chasing their tails

He let out a sound that was full and was strong

“Ahhh-eee” with a voice, sounding just like a song

We threw and we jumped, and we made those sweet sounds

Our friendship was formed, with each touch to the ground

I made this my art, to be just like this boy,

to feel grounded and peaceful with sparks of his joy


With his words overflowing, great courage, and heart

As the five days unfolded, he reached for the stars

A miracle in progress, a messenger of god

By his passion and spirit, I am constantly awed

He dug deep inside to unearth hidden gems

He practiced and practiced again and again

He connected through courage and played many games

This family touched our lives, we are forever changed.”

If you’d like more inspiration, learn more about the Do Autism Differently approach for Autism in the comments.

FROM BECKY (Do Autism Differently Teacher)❤ Playing with hundreds of children on the autism spectrum has touched me so d...
02/06/2026

FROM BECKY (Do Autism Differently Teacher)❤ Playing with hundreds of children on the autism spectrum has touched me so deeply. Here is a poem I wrote, about one such child, he helped me be the person I am, and I owe him the world. His name is Malachi - meaning...

Gift from God.

"With two little chewy tubes clasped in his hands

He tossed them sporadically, watching them land

I gathered two items that I would throw too

I poised myself carefully, aimed and then… threw

We both did a happy dance, landing on trails,

of the items we tossed, as if chasing their tails

He let out a sound that was full and was strong

“Ahhh-eee” with a voice, sounding just like a song

We threw and we jumped, and we made those sweet sounds

Our friendship was formed, with each touch to the ground

I made this my art, to be just like this boy,

to feel grounded and peaceful with sparks of his joy


With his words overflowing, great courage, and heart

As the five days unfolded, he reached for the stars

A miracle in progress, a messenger of god

By his passion and spirit, I am constantly awed

He dug deep inside to unearth hidden gems

He practiced and practiced again and again

He connected through courage and played many games

This family touched our lives, we are forever changed."

If you'd like more inspiration, learn more about the Do Autism Differently approach for Autism in the comments.

We love hearing how Do Autism Differently® is changing lives — for autistic children and for the professionals who suppo...
02/05/2026

We love hearing how Do Autism Differently® is changing lives — for autistic children and for the professionals who support them. Thank you, Svenja, for your beautiful words. 💛

02/04/2026

Want to inspire more eye contact in a fun, child‑led way? 👀💛
Here are 3 simple strategies you can start using today:
1️⃣ Celebrate any look your child gives you
2️⃣ Be playful, enthusiastic, or a little silly
3️⃣ Position yourself at or below your child’s eye level
When you create joy and connection, eye contact grows naturally — without pressure 💛✨
If you love ideas like these, our Do Autism Differently® Online program is packed with on‑demand training videos and an entire video library full of practical playroom strategies you can use right away.
Come learn how to inspire connection in ways that feel good for BOTH you and your child.
Call us at 413-228-2100 for a free consultation.
💛✨ You don’t have to guess — we’ll show you how!

02/02/2026

𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐨 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲®: 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫

🌟 What if deeper connection with our children begins by asking:”What can I learn from my child?”instead of “What can I teach my child?”

Being compassionate and curios students of our children helps us understand why they do what they do and revealing their true motivations.

When we see our child as the teacher, we let them lead. This:
• Shows us exactly how to support them best,
• Builds their trust in people and the social world,
• Guides us on timing, when to simply bond and be present, and when to playfully inspire growth using their own motivations.

We believe in incredible growth for your child... and you’re one of the most powerful resources to help make it happen. Letting your child be the guide is a phenomenal way to build deeper connection and empowering you through learning more about your child.

01/30/2026

“Do Autism Differently is not only a way to help your child grow, it is equally a way for you to grow and thereby become not only a better parent, but also a better human.”

Matt. D (Autism Dad)

Matt uses the Do Autism Differently Approach with his son, who has Autism, and attended our live training course as part of the Do Autism Differently Online. Here’s what he said about it. Details in comments 🩷

01/29/2026

Are you ready to Do Autism Differently®? 💛
In this Facebook Live, I’m sharing a simple but powerful approach to helping your autistic child grow — one rooted in love, acceptance, and connection.
You’ll hear a real story about an 8‑year‑old boy I worked with who loved Lincoln Logs… and how joining him in his special interest opened the door to eye contact, communication, social skills, and joyful play.
I’ll also share the highlights of our Do Autism Differently® Online Program and the different levels of support available for families who want deeper guidance, community, and advanced training.
If you’ve ever wondered how to connect with your child in a way that feels natural, respectful, and effective… this Live is for you. 💛

01/28/2026

Motivation—not repetition—is the real engine of learning. This is one of our core principles at Do Autism Differently.
So many parents are told their autistic child needs drills, flashcards, or endless repetition before anything will “stick.” But that’s not how the brain works.
When a child is interested, excited, and motivated, their brain moves into an open state—a state where connection is easier, attention grows, and learning happens naturally.
But when something feels boring, stressful, or forced, the brain goes into a closed state, and no amount of repetition can create real understanding.

That’s why one joyful, motivated moment teaches far more than 100 moments of pressure.

This principle guides everything we do in Do Autism Differently®, we teach parents to
✨ follow a child’s interests
✨ join their world with acceptance
✨ build connection before challenge
✨ use motivation as the doorway to growth

Give us a call at (001)413-229-2100 for a free consultation.

01/26/2026

𝐃𝐨 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞: 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐌 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑.

You may have heard or have the opinion that your child is misbehaving... IT'S ABOUT CONNECTION NOT CORRECTION.

Consider this: your child is contending with a vastly different sensory system and neurological differences than us. Think of all that goes into initiating and sustaining a relationship and all the different environments your child is exposed to demands that are placed on them in those environments.

So yes, your child may retreat into their own world or engage in self-soothing repetitive activities because relating to others presents a genuine relational hurdle. Of course they may have intense rigidity, outbursts, meltdowns, etc. not because they are "bad," defiant, or need stricter rules placed upon them or that they don't love you or are cold or insensitive.
What others are seeing as “behaviors” are symptoms of this deeper relational and sensory difficulty.

By shifting the focus to seeing it from the perspective of our child versus to please outside opinions and pressures to get our child to change. how about we don't try to "fix" or control behaviors. Let's focus on building a genuine, trusting, joyful relationship. Turning to create a motivating environment where your child feels understood and accepted so that they can get more of what they want from others.

IT'S ABOUT CONNECTION NOT CORRECTION.🫶🏼
Learn more by going to our bio or calling us directly.

Address

2049 S Undermountain Road
Sheffield, MA
01257

Telephone

+14132292100

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Autism Treatment Center of America posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category