Treatment Progress: Seeing Change Requires Changing What We Look At
During a recent snow, I went outside so I could capture a picture of the tiny snowflakes systematically falling to the ground transforming our backyard into a winter wonderland.
During a recent snow, I went outside so I could capture a picture of the tiny snowflakes systematically falling to the ground transforming our backyard into a winter wonderland.
No matter which angle or what lighting I tried, I couldn’t capture the tiny flakes in my picture.
All I could see was the part each little snowflake played in transforming my once dull and grey backyard into a beautiful winter wonderland.
It made me stop and think how similar this scenario was to how the brain absorbs, processes, and remembers information.
Neurocognition or cognitive skills are the driving force for all learning. There are over 100 years of evidence supporting this fact. Yet still, too many parents and teachers are unaware of their power until they see the transformation.
Michael was a senior in high school who had sustained two significant concussions playing football.
This once average student suddenly found himself struggling to focus and complete school work in a timely manner and, more importantly, was unable to increase his score on the ACT.
This left him feeling hopeless about achieving his goal to attend his college of choice and reach his ultimate dream of becoming an engineer.
Michael’s mom heard about The Cognitive Emporium, and in her words decided, “to take a chance”.
Any mom who has experienced the senior year of high school and college admission journey knows that there is an increased level of anxiety.
Then add to that process your smart child caught in an unfamiliar struggle and nerves are taken to a whole new level.
Michael’s mom was no different.
In fact, her nerves and anxiety continued throughout his entire intervention process. Every two weeks I would get an email, a phone call, or a face-to-face conversation stating that she was not “seeing any change” and she felt that she was spending money on something that will “not make a difference.”
Michael’s mom was unable to see the tiny snowflakes.
Fortunately for me, I have years of experience in the field of cognition and reactions like this are not new to me.
I can identify that these doubts and complaints are coming from a place of fear and desperation.
What parents and teachers don’t understand is for the past 25 years, I have had a front row seat to view the power and transformation of cognitive skills training.
This experience gives me the ability to trust The P.A.T.H. System that I've designed, the myriad of tools that I've tried and tested, and trust the process of optimal academic transformation.
In Michael’s case, the transformation was a game changer.
I will never forget the email that I received from Michael’s mom, requesting to meet.
Michael had met every goal we’d set together for him in his P.A.T.H. and he’d let me know he was happy with the program and that things had started to turn around for him in school.
However, based on the disbelief and only negative complaints that I had received from his mother over the past two months, my expectation was that the meeting with Michael’s mom wouldn’t be a positive one.
When the day arrived, both of Michael’s parents came to my office. They first handed me the results of his recent ACT score which revealed a 10 point overall gain and a score that I was confident would get him into his college of choice.
I smiled when I read it and looked up to see tears coming down Michael’s mom’s face. She said, “Do you know what my son said to me when he saw these scores?” She paused then added, “He said, Mom, I’m not stupid.”
Michael’s mom continued, “Do you know how that made me feel? Your system and program gave my son the confidence and the ability to go for his dreams and I needed to look you in the eye and say, thank you. I needed to tell you that you can not put a price tag on the change that we see in him.”
The lack of tangible evidence, while it’s happening, makes it difficult to trust the system and the process. I understand that.
I also know that understanding eases the worry.
To help provide that understanding my staff and me at The Cognitive Emporium offer support and options for parent and teacher training to increase awareness about the program and how it works.
If you or someone you know are interested in learning more about these options, I invite you to book an appointment for a free 10-minute consultation.