History of The Hope Source and HeartSOS

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 Founded in 2007 by Julie Gordon, The Hope Source began as a sanctuary for families navigating the complexities of autism. Initially focused on counseling parents of autistic children, Julie, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, recognized the need for a more holistic approach. This vision led to the expansion of The Hope Source into a nurturing center that supports children, forges educational partnerships, and created a vocational lab. Under Julie's guidance, The Hope Source has flourished, providing comprehensive treatment and educational services for individuals with ASD and their families, grounded in a natural, developmental, and trauma-responsive approach to Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA).  

We do not use compliance-based training methods, tangible or edible reinforcement, or punishment procedures, ensuring our approach ethically addresses the multifaceted challenges faced by the autism community. In fact, The Hope Source has a history of speaking out against harmful and unethical applications of ABA principals at local and national conferences, through social media, and "The Hope Show" Podcast.

In response to the evolving needs of our community, The Hope Source launched Heart of the Spectrum Outpatient Services (HeartSOS), a new service delivery model offering multi-disciplinary therapy services designed to empower clients to achieve their life and relationship goals. HeartSOS tailors care plans to meet each client’s unique needs through in-person or telehealth sessions, employing evidence-based strategies with a trauma-informed perspective.