Going Forward

The Option Institute

People come to The Option Institute to learn The Option Process^® and to change their lives. Oftentimes people come and use what they are learn to solve a particular situation, such as acting in a disempowered way at job so they take Empower Yourself, being indecisive so they take Optimal Self-Trust, or they need help in their marriage so they take CouplesCourse.

We focused our first 25 years of The Option Institute in a particular way which was directed to helping people in their situations and not realizing that the ideas and concepts get lost when they leave. We notice now that people come to get a band aid on what is challenging in their lives at the time and then, when they resolve that problem, they leave and we might not see them for a while.

The wonder of what this place is and the wonder of what we teach is not about band aiding a problem - not about simply creating a better marriage or becoming more empowered or learning how to speak for yourself or feeling comfortable within your body - this is about something else. This is a process that if you really use it, it will take you to the top of any personal mountain that you ever wanted to climb.

In an ancient text, there is an interesting part where students are talking to their teacher and asking how you get to heaven. He answers, "Heaven is actually here all around us (I reworded in option terms) but we don't have the ability or the eyes to see it". That is what we teach here - we teach people to see through new eyes, through new frames of beliefs- we teach them that we are already in heaven and that heaven is a belief and an attitude and that it is not only about fixing the current problem.

Going forward we want to help everyone who comes here - we want to look for the mountain climbers - we don't want people to just want to come to fix one thing and then in 6 years when they are unhappy again they will come back. We want people who want to reinvent who they are - people who want to unleash their potential and step boldly into their extraordinary lives.

I spoke to one woman who said that coming to The Option Institute changed everything about her life. She came to the Grand Summer Sequence in her late 50's and then came back 25 years later to try to solve more problems that arose in her life. She said that she got wound up in the craziness and forgot some stuff that she learned at The Option Institute and now she is unhappy again and things are getting heavier and heavier, so she came back. We would like to help people on an on-going basis and if this lady had taken programs on a timeline she would have gotten to the top of her personal mountain top. This is what we are promoting - this is who we want to talk to.

There is so much more here than band aids. People who taken our programs have experienced glimpses of heaven - there is always instant love in the room. It doesn't mean that anyone else has to love you the way that you are loving them – It's not about who loves you – it's about who you love. If you love people, love is with you all the time. If you tell people to love you, then you are like a pan handler on the corner asking for something that it not going to come to you.

In 2008, we are converting our style into university level programs - 100 level to 400 level programs. We are encouraging people who come here, not to just use the programs and principles as a band aid but to use it to actually climb to the top of their personal mountain. We are designing it so that there are different paths up the mountain, depending on what your personal summit is. There are three summits - our 3 top (400 level) programs

• Wide Awake is a non stop roller coaster ride which provides you with an incomparable opportunity to realize meaning, joy and freedom in your life.
• Mentor Certification will give you extraordinary skills and techniques that will expand who you are and widen your impact in the world.
• Group Facilitation Training will awaken the fire of ambition, the hidden brilliance and the unlimited power of the people around you. You will shine brightly with passion and clarity, lead without fear and create a team that will rock your world!

This is a process - whether it is Wide Awake, Mentor Certification or Group Facilitation Training – it's about how you want to use your time. If you decide to go to the top of your personal mountain – living the best version of what you dream for yourself – we want to help you get there – Mountain Climbers Wanted – a crucial concept.

In 2007 we have begun guidance where our teachers are available to help guide you in a sequence – guide you up the mountain to your personal summit. This is more than just a temporary solution to a specific challenge, The Option Institute now offers a transformative experience to help people master current and future challenges.

The Autism Treatment Center of America ^™

What makes The Son-Rise Program^® different?

 

Developed by parents (not researchers) for parents, The Son-Rise Program treats Autism as a relational, interactivity disorder, not as a behavioral disorder. In The Son-Rise Program, the central issue facing children on the Autism spectrum is difficulty connecting with and relating to other people. Almost all other difficulties spring from this primary challenge.

The Son-Rise Program places parents (not doctors) as key teachers using the home (not clinics) as the most nurturing environment in which to help their children. Instead of "correcting" so-called "inappropriate" behaviors in the absence of a deeply bonded relationship, The Son-Rise Program endeavors to build a relationship that serves as a platform for education and development. Rather than forcing children to conform to a world they do not yet understand, we enter their world first. We seek to understand so that we can be most effective in helping the child. In The Son-Rise Program, the children show us the way in, and then we show them the way out.

Opportunities and Need

For twenty-five years, thousands of parents from all over the world have traveled to the country village of Sheffield, MA to participate in The Son-Rise Program training programs to learn the methodology and take it back home. In support of parents, ATCA has sent its trained staff all over the world to help families in their homes. Over the past five years, the tremendous growth in the incidence of Autism, increased Autism awareness, and greater awareness of The Son-Rise Program have surpassed our capacity to serve all families who want and would benefit from our help.

What are we doing?

We are embarking upon a bold new program that will increase our capacity to help families tenfold while reducing the time and expense they incur conducting their home-based treatment programs. These initiatives include:

• Regional Autism Treatment Centers that bring services closer to families making them more accessible and less expensive
• An Accelerated Training Program that dramatically increases the number of qualified Son-Rise Program Professionals
• New web-based support and training services that establish a support community among parents and provide immediate access to helpful resources
• Empirical research projects that document the efficacy of the program and provide parents the formal support they require when applying for support funds

Our Goal

We know that there is hope and a better future for every child with Autism. By accelerating our training programs, increasing the number of qualified teachers, reducing travel time and expense, and providing rich on-line services we will increase our capacity to support families from thousands to tens of thousands.

Our Plan

In 2009, we plan to open new regional Autism Treatment Centers of America in three cities and begin training fifty-four new Son-Rise professionals. Cities under consideration include New York, NY; Portland, OR; Cincinnati, OH; San Francisco/Palo Alto, CA and, London, England.

Startup costs for each center are approximately $350,000 . Two year training costs per teacher are approximately $50,000. The cost of our new website capabilities including production of video and audio resources is approximately $200,000. Overall program management costs are approximately $250,000 per year. Overall startup costs for this new initiative are approximately $4,000,000.These new initiatives will depend on the donations, contributions and kindness of those supporting such an expansion of delivery of our services.

Back to Top