For
more than 20 years, Dr. Richard E. Rawson has been helping clients
successfully alleviate symptoms that
impact their quality of life and
day-to-day functioning, and improve their effectiveness in their
careers,
relationship, and personal life.
The
following cases describe just a few of the positive benefits and
accomplishments made by these clients. See if you can
find one that is similar to your situation or that of someone you know.
Case
#1
Problem/Situation
M.
R. was a retired
electrical engineer who, since his mid 60’s,
had experienced
difficulties
in short-term memory functioning and the
ability to sustain attention when trying to focus on his daily
activities. He was concerned that his problems were getting
progressively worse over
time,
and he feared that he might be suffering from some form of dementia.
Adding to
his concerns was the fact that at least two of his older siblings had
suffered
from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Mr.
R’s
memory impairment and emotional distress
were significantly
interfering with
his general life satisfaction and his ability to perform everyday
tasks, and
were causing him to be concerned about his future.
Solution
M. R. needed
to know what
to expect regarding his prognosis so he could better plan for his
future care
and manage his family’s affairs. A family doctor recommended
that he call me. The
comprehensive psychological evaluation he received clearly
indicated the
type and extent of his memory impairment, but showed that he continued
to
function in the Superior range of intellectual abilities overall. No
indications of dementia were present in any of the test results.
Instead, the
findings were more consistent with a relatively limited type of old
injury to
the brain possibly due to a mild stroke.
Results
Mr.
R and
his wife were
greatly relieved to learn that his memory problems were *not* due to
Alzheimer’s
disease. Through our
working together, his fears and anxieties
were reduced
to manageable levels, and he learned about several training approaches
and
self-management strategies designed
to alleviate problems
with attention
and memory. His fear and dread were replaced by a new sense of
independence and
hope for the future.
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Case
#2
Problem/Situation
L.
K. reported being
concerned about a
range of home behavior management problems,
emotional
reaction problems, and schoolwork performance or suspected learning
problems in
her 7-year-old daughter.
These problems were contributing to
increasing
levels of family conflict and impaired school performance. Mrs. K. knew
that she
was dealing with a complex set of difficulties, but didn’t
have a clear sense
of what they were or what to do about them.
Solution
Mrs. K.
discovered that most children with mild learning
difficulties are
not severe
enough
to meet
the school’s criteria, and the legal definition, of a
learning disability. They
may even be performing at an “average” level when
compared to same-age peers.
Yet, they continue to struggle tremendously in certain areas, and are
not
achieving at a level consistent with their ability. In the case of Mrs. K, her
daughter’s teacher wisely perceived that if her
student did have an attention disorder or learning problem, then she
may
experience more difficulty in later grades as the workload increases
and
becomes more detailed. She recommended that I evaluate her student.
Results
Psychological
testing demonstrated that this
child was intellectually gifted with an overall level of ability in the
Very
Superior range. Her raw ability would have masked certain areas of
weakness
until possibly the third or fourth grades. However, her unusual cluster
of
symptoms and her specific pattern of test scores indicated an atypical
Attention-deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder and Dyslexia—the
inherited condition that makes it extremely
difficult to read, write, and spell in your native language, despite at
least
average intelligence.
Without
the right
assessment and treatment plan, parents may waste years—and
thousands of dollars—doing
the
wrong thing; And the child falls
further behind.
Mrs.
K. now has
the
correct diagnosis, the appropriate plan for addressing the problem, and
the
documentation she school requires justifying the need for classroom
accommodations of her daughter’s special learning
requirements.
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Case
#3
Problem/Situation
P. A. was a working mother who
was experiencing a great deal of tension and
conflict with her 11-year-old son who was becoming increasingly defiant
and noncompliant with her house rules. She also was
feeling
distressed and overwhelmed by a range of other issues in her life,
including her romantic relationship, her career path, her relationship
with her aging mother, and her general direction in life.
Solution
Ms.
A. rapidly progressed in her ability to take charge of her life and
implement significant changes in the way she functioned. In
less than 12 sessions, she had implemented a plan of behavior
modification with her son, and was reaping tremendous benefits from his
improved attitudes and willingness to follow rules. Ms. A. stopped
enabling her mother's pattern of substance abuse, and was now setting
clear boundaries and introducing healthier activities for them to take
part in. Her boyfriend was so impressed by her efforts that he was
inspired to confront his own long-standing relationship and substance
use problems.
Results
As
a result of our work in therapy, Ms. A. freed herself of several key
problems that had been draining her energy and destroying her quality
of life. With an improved sense of mastery in several
life
areas -- parenting, relationships, self-image, emotional self-control
to name just a few -- Ms. A. was able to turn her attention to thoughts
about her future. She continues to benefit from less frequent therapy
sessions, and has shifted her focus from solving problems to pursuing
an even more meaningful and rewarding life.
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Case
#4
Problem/Situation
H. D. was a heart patient with a
20-year history of anxiety problems who
was experiencing an increase in the number and severity of panic
symptoms that seemed to mimic symptoms of his heart condition. He
was becoming increasingly worried, fearful, and preoccupied with his
health; and his quality of life was sharply declining as a result of
his feelings of vulnerability and his avoiding travel away from home
where he might not have immediate access to medical care.
Solution
During the course of 10 sessions,
Mr. D. completely reversed the vicious circle of panic
-- a chain reaction of negative thoughts, physical sensations,
distressing emotions, and maladaptive behavioral responses that had
created a powerful and disabling "snowball effect." He learned valuable
skills for detecting and correctly interpreting what was going on with
his body, mind, and emotions; and continues to practice healthier
patterns of coping.
Results
At
the close of therapy, Mr. D. and his wife had just returned from a
short visit to Paris and were making preparations for a more extended
vacation to Hawaii. He had put to rest his fears of
traveling
away from home, and was enjoying his life once again. In addition to
getting relief from his anxiety symptoms and improving his functioning,
Mr. D's therapy experience set in motion other life-enhancing
activities -- He was taking steps to broaden his social network, pursue
volunteer activities, and develop new interests that he could share
with his wife.
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Case
#5
Problem/Situation
When
I met M. J. in his early 20's, his life up to that point had been
characterized by emotional turmoil, behavioral problems, setbacks in
school in career, substance abuse, and a period of incarceration. Although
he was basically a decent person with a good heart, seemingly nothing
that he was doing was turning out right.
Solution
At the
urging of a
supportive mother and older brother, M. J. sought my help. Right away,
he and I proceeded to prioritize his needs and map out a plan of action
to get his life on track. The key to M. J.'s well-being, he recognized
early in the course of his therapy, is a constant focus on "doing the
right things." His
coaching from me and his following through with our treatment plan
allowed him to improve his performance
in focusing on goals and priorities, organizing and managing his time,
enhancing his motivation and capacity to follow through with tasks, and
distancing himself from old habits while strengthening new ones.
Results
M. J. now
has a
stimulating job in real estate and is working on obtaining his real
estate license. He maintains a very supportive relationship with his
family, and is building a network of other supportive contacts. As a consequence of his work in
therapy, his confidence is at an all-time high, and he continues to "do
the right things."
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Dr. Richard E. Rawson.
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