how do you feel about either recording the session or taking notes?

i have never recorded sessions... would feel odd being "on the air" in therapy lol, but i've heard one gets used to it. certainly that is the most complete way of preserving the contents of a session. you don't risk losing context as is possible with note-taking.

however, you do write well, so you might be a good note taker. an additional advantage to taking notes is that just the writing itself helps memorization... because you not only say things and hear things, but then repeat what is said/heard when you have to write it down or even rephrase it. this repetition, in the act of taking notes might be enough to help, even if you do not re-read them.

also, you could do both. and have the tapes as "reference" if you ever need to get a full picture, and doing notes to help you remember key points, and perhaps help keep you on track from session to session. when i take notes, and combine with journalling, i find it helps continuity from session to session immensely.

what do you think... and very importantly... how do you feel about doing either of these things?

~ waves ~

Try these:
http://brainmind.com/RightHemisphereLanguage.html

http://brain.web-us.com/brain/lrbrain.html

These are not what I read years ago, but they are close.

I was reading alot of perceptual psychology back then when I was in art school.
So was interested in this subject. In order to do art, one has to learn to use the right brain or one doesn't get very far.

One book I enjoyed was Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.
It is a classic now.

I also learned to use auto-hypnosis to improve imagery. Now I use this technique to help with pain control and anxiety.

If you Google using careful keywords you can find just tons of papers.

Cutting the corpus callosum to prevent serious seizures reveals alot of interesting things about the two hemispheres:
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neur...asiliadis.html
If you Google Roger Sperry and Michael Gazzaniga, their work is fascinating. I saw a Discovery show years ago about Micheal Gazzaniga searching for consiousness.

My therapist doesn't allow any recorders while in session. And she doesn't want me to take notes because it distracts from my being "present". That's my biggest issue, being present, staying focused. I simply freeze and go inside of myself because the subject matter is too hard to deal with. And then we have to take time to work through it and get me back to my safe place. It's so much work, it's draining.

A couple of things...
I do believe it is a good idea to take a few notes during a therapeutic session. For one thing, it will help you remember what was being discussed...even if you don't refer to it.
For another, you CAN refer to it if you would like.
If a session is missed (because you have to miss it or the therapist does), you can get your notes out and think about what was said the previous week and still work on what needs to be done.
Sometimes it is easy to stagnate. A few notes...a few memory jogs...can be helpful.

One of the links Mrs. D sites, mentions a book called Brain Rules. I really enjoyed this book...lots of good ideas and the author is funny too!

Is this the book you mean?

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina

(above link is to amazon.com, for the paperback edition)

thanks

~ waves ~

Yes, this is it.
I saw other information by him once and his discussion on memory didn't seem accurate to me.
However, I did enjoy this book...lots of helpful tidbits on
learning
exercise
sleep
relationships

And his sense of humor, makes it easy reading. He makes many good points that can help the reader live a better/fuller life.

There is a good book out...I'm told...Musicphelia (sp?). I am starting to read it now. I don't know if the lessons learned there apply here or not...for those with interest in this topic...it might be a good book to look into.

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina

(above link is to amazon.com, for the paperback edition)


12 chapters:

1. Exercise-boosts brain power...number one thing that we can do!
2. Survival-the human brain evolved
3. wiring-every brain is wired differently
4. Attention-we don't pay attention to boring things
5. Short term memory-repeat to remember
6. long term memory-remember to repeat.
7. sleep-sleep well think well!
8. stress-stressed brains don't learn the same way.
9. sensory integration-stimulate more of the senses.
10. vision-trumps all other senses.
11. gender-male and female brains are different
12. exploration-we are powerful and natural explorers.

Amazon lets you read some of the book and it reads well!
I think I should order this book!
beth

Dear BJ,
A recording device during a session would distract me too.
Can you jot down notes (two or three key points) as soon as you leave the room -- even when you are still in the building? Would that help?

M.

Dear Beth and Vowel Lady,

John Medina has some videos on Youtube:

Where memories go -- John Medina, author, "Brain Rules"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBsW5qz5sDU


The Brain Cannot Multi-task
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO_oE...eature=related


Exercise - Brain Rule #1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck-tQ...eature=related


and more
M.

Thank you for the info and the Brain Rules and videos. I just ordered the book from Amazon. I hope it helps me not be so stressful about my memory problems. I know I definitely can't multi-task right now.

I will take your advice Mari and right things down as soon as I get in my car. It's easier said than done though because I feel so out of it when I get out of there, especially when she leaves me hanging, or worse, when I leave there in tears. She promised me I would never leave that way, so I wait until I get outside and let it out.