We now have AMT centers in Los Angeles, Miami & Pembroke Pines Florida, Philadelphia, Fremont & Defiance Ohio, Charleston Illinois, and Quebec. AMT is currently in the Pennsylvania School District, Mammoth Unified School District, PATH Academy in Bryan, Ohio & Vista Del Mar School in Los Angeles.

Joanne Lara is an adjunct professor at National University in the department of Special Education in Los Angeles, California. Lara earned her master's in Special Education; Moderate/Severe & Multiple Disabilities from California State University, Northridge and a B.A. in Dance from the University of South Florida. She holds a California Moderate/Severe Education Specialist K-12 teaching credential and taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District for over 10 years, where she worked exclusively with students with autism. Ms. Lara is a Behavior & Social Skills Program Supervisor for Inclusive Education and Community Partnership (IECP) a Southern California NPA.

Joanne Lara taught dance in the Los Angeles Unified School District Arts Prototype program, delivering standard based instruction to K-6th grade general education students as well as special needs students. Ms. Lara has written extensively about Environmental Toxins and Autism (see Research), and presents "Autism Movement Therapy" certification workshops and lecture/presentations throughout the United States.

Autism Movement Therapy, Inc a nonprofit organization, is focused on serving the autism community by supporting autism research (Dr Martha Herbert PhD, TRANSCEND RESEARCH PROGRAM - Mass General Hospital for Children), environmental organizations (The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) & the Environmental Defense Action Fund (EDF) as well as providing community outreach.

Through cognitive re-mapping, Joanne Lara's successful Autism Movement Therapy® is an interhemispheric SENSORY INTEGRATION technique incorporating movement and music in collaboration with Positive Behavior Support (PBS) strategies to assist individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in meeting and achieving their speech and language, social and academic IEP goals

Please consider making a generous donation/gift to Autism Movement Therapy, Inc. Your gift will help bring the joy of music & movement to so many individuals with autism and related disabilities who otherwise would not be able to participate in a formal, structured dance program. In addition, your donation will help fund autism research at one of the leading hospitals in the world, Mass Gen Hospital for Children. Together we can make a difference!

I think every family in the autism community should check out this program. In just one weeks time my grandson has done a complete 360 with his behaviors. I have also seen changes for the better in both receptive and expressive language areas, socialization and ability to transition without becoming over stimulated. Thank you Joanne!!!! - Cheryl Miller(Grandmother), Top Notch Cheer Gym, Fremont, Ohio

Julia Boyd was gracious enough to share her time and talents in my classroom last year (2010-2011).  I was a teacher at the Neil Armstrong Program. My class consisted of students with severe learning issues—most testing in the moderately impaired range.  Her son Jacob was a student in my class.  He has Autism and we (Mom, school staff, EIU Speech, and many others) have been working to help Jacob improve his communication skills.  His improvement had been steady but in small increments.  I noticed marked improvements in Jacob’s eye contact and responses after Julia began exploring Autism Movement Therapy last year. All of the students in my class responded positively.  It was clear that they were highly engaged and so were the staff.   The listening skills of all the students showed improvement. Jacob’s responses to questions continued to increase.  I believe that this therapy is a great tool that can show good results. - Sue Miller Giacomini, Special Ed. Teacher, Mattoon, Illinois

“Autism Movement Therapy is a solid method we have chosen to integrate into our DRAGONFLIES program.  We have seen firsthand the reorganizing of the brain. The students are opening up their minds to self expression, behaviors are decreasing and the non-verbal children are increasing in speech and language skills. Thank you Joanne, for creating a method that works.” - Julia Boyd, Jacob’s MOM, Director of DRAGONFLIES Special Needs Program -Mattoon/Charleston Illinois, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

...I have been doing AMT with the middle and high school kids for summer schools with the whole group together (with all the aides and teacher participating) and they LOVE it! It's fun to see all the faces light up when I walk into the room because they know we're going to have fun! But it really melts my heart when I see the 2 high school severely autistic twins actually doing the moves in their way and smiling.
- Dee DiGioia Speech & Language Path, Mammoth Elementary School, Mammoth Lakes, Ca This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The things we spoke about at the June AMT Certification are the things that really matter. The lessons you taught will be useful in everything I do.  You have a real grasp on the human spirit, and you know how to make it soar! Thanks for a wonderfully enlightening and growth-inspiring weekend!
- Lili Bordan, Los Angeles, Ca This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

CNN HLN Interview with Brad Pomerance

Chicago AMT Certification Workshop 1/2011

Autism Movement Therapy Dancers "Art of Autism" Event Hollywood, Ca  5/2011

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