Mom Launches Autism Treatment Program
A Portland area mom and a therapist have launched a cutting edge autism treatment program. Local businessman Dean Gauthier of Carpet Kingdom, 12311 N.E. Halsey St., has pledged his support to this fledgling, worthwhile venture. “We heard about this worthwhile cause and wanted to help. Autism is a tragedy for families,” he said. He plans to donate a portion of his carpet store’s gross sales to A Hope for Autism.
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Gayle Woodruff, A Hope for Autism founder, with son Miles.
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Gayle Woodruff, the mother of a five-and-a-half-year-old son with autism, has partnered with renowned therapist and board certified Associate Behavior Analyst Robbin Sobotka-Soles to create A Hope for Autism.
The duo formed A Hope for Autism to focus on connecting with children with autism and following their interests to provide learning opportunities that are personalized for each child. With their combined knowledge of autism spectrum disorder, they have put together an effective educational program providing a safe, loving environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.
The mother and therapist team focuses on using a child’s interests to motivate learning opportunities and create an environment where learning is fun, effective and efficient. Each child with ASD varies in their ability to learn, communicate and relate to others. A Hope for Autism provides consultation for families setting up custom home programs, family support, training, supervision and in-home treatment.
Woodruff was inspired to launch A Hope for Autism after searching numerous avenues for help with her son Miles. Through determination to make a difference with her son, she received intensive training in various theories of how to best work with him. She has also assembled a team of professionals that work with her son on a regular basis.
Sobotka-Soles has been working with children with ASD for over 15 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Linfield College and completed graduate work in behavior analysis at the University of North Texas. As an experienced behavior analyst and therapist, Sobotka-Soles has had the opportunity to work as an in-home instructor, a program supervisor in the Northwest and has worked alongside school professionals in order to create an optimal learning environment for each child she works with. Her current focus is developing individualized teaching programs and promoting a more natural learning environment, including using relevant teaching materials and focusing on the child’s interests.
