COGNITIVE THERAPY FOR IMPROVING COGNITIVE SKILLS
Cognitive therapy is a broad term that means different things depending upon who is using it. Psychologists, for example, use the term to refer to a type of emotional therapy that attempts to change how an individual thinks or reacts to situations. Neuroscientists, on the other hand, use the term more specifically to refer to exercises and activities that improve functions in the frontal lobes of the brain such as:
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attention and memory
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critical thinking and analytical reasoning
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impulse control and mature behavior
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social awareness and social skills
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planning and reasoning
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flexible thinking and being able to adapt to new situations
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problem solving skills
Since the frontal lobes are one of the last areas of the brain to mature, not completing development until early adulthood, individuals who have experienced impoverished or abnormal environments early in childhood, who have had a brain injury, or who struggle with a sensory processing disorder, often have delayed or inadequate frontal lobe skills. The disorders that have been linked to poor frontal lobe functioning include (click on a topic to read the research about frontal lobe functions associated with the disorder):
Cognitive therapy is highly effective for anyone who wants to improve frontal lobe skills, regardless of whether any of these conditions are present.
WHAT DOES COGNITIVE THERAPY INVOLVE?
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problem solving exercises and games
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training in logical thinking and analytical reasoning
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descriptive language exercises
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social skills training
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learning to read and predict the responses of others to actions
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learning to identify and extend patterns
- exercises to improve impulse control and inhibition
Cognitive therapy begins with a full cognitive assessment so that we can identify strengths and gaps and create an individualized program for each student.
COSTS: The cost of the cognitive battery of tests is $500 and the cost of cognitive threapy is $70 per half hour or $105 per 45 minute session.
If you are interested in this program, please contact Dr. MacAlpine at braintrain@aol.com or leave a message at 972-964-8510 |