Prior to my pursuit of a career in brain
injury rehabilitation, counseling and biofeedback therapy, I
was an educator for 18 years. In this capacity, I became intimately
familiar with the learning and re-learning process.
In 1997, I received my Master's degree
in counseling and in 1998 I received my certification in biofeedback.
I worked with several doctors until I opened my private practice
in 2000.
My rehabilitation program is successful
for several reasons. First, I set up a consistent program where
I meet with patients several times per week. During these sessions,
I work one on one with patients to determine their strengths,
weaknesses, barriers, fears and anxieties - I get to know my
patients well. I then help the patient to manage their specific
issues with the goal of returning to work and to life in general.
Second, I work closely with the patient,
his or her doctors, case manager and family to accomplish the
patient's goals. This includes helping the patient learn about
his or her condition, helping the patient accept the changes
that are a result of his or her condition, allowing the patient
to participate in their own treatment planning, helping the patient
to improve measurably in deficit areas, helping the patient to
return to full living in the community, helping the patient return
to employment and insuring that family and significant others
successfully adjust to the patient's condition.
Finally, my program is successful because
of my attitude toward the patient. I treat each patient with
respect and have challenging, yet realistic expectations of them.
Personal Qualities of a Successful
Cognitive Therapist
- Has an identity
- Respects and appreciates self
- Recognizes and accepts power inherent
to the work
- Is open to change
- Expands awareness of self and others
- Tolerates ambiguity
- Develops own therapy style
- Experiences and learns the world of
the client with empathy
- Feels alive and makes oriented choices
- Is authentic, sincere, and honest
- Has a sense of humor
- Makes mistakes and admits it
- Lives in the present
- Appreciates the influence of culture
- Is able to reinvent self
- Makes choices that shape life
- Has a sincere interest in the welfare
of others
- Is deeply involved in work and derives
meaning from it
- Accepts others without judgment
Professional Qualities of a Successful
Cognitive Therapist
- Education from a regionally-accredited
institution at the bachelor's or master's level that is sufficient
for licensure in a field , such as speech therapy, counseling,
education, medicine, neuropsychology, nursing, occupational therapy,
physical therapy, psychology, recreation therapy, social work,
and special education. This list is representative and other
areas may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Knowledge and skills in treating neurobehavioral
problems and deficits; assessing cognitive functions and evaluate
performance; interpersonal skills necessary to interact with
clients in an adult-adult manner.
- Have and utilize access to professionals
such as neuropsychologists and CRT supervisors for assistance
in evaluating cognitive and emotional problems.
- Be able to recognize, treat and/or
refer clients psychotherapeutic issues for the benefit of the
client towards recovery.
- Have a minimal level of competence
in recognizing, treating, and/or referring clients whose emotional
state is slowing progress in cognitive processes.
- Be able to model strategies for the
client to demonstrate effective use of those strategies by "normal"
people.
- Have extensive knowledge of the learning,
relearning process and skilled in multiple methods to complete
tasks.
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