CRT will vary from provider to provider, but I have my opinions about what it should look like. These opinions are based on over 12 years of experience in this field, and from the outcomes I have seen. Some SLPs will simply have you sit in their office and work on what they refer to as “brain games”. Others will take a different approach, and address functional day-to-day issues, such as organizational or conversational skills. Some will combine the two, and this is the approach I typically prefer.
Standardized testing provides important data and clinical information, but I often glean the most helpful information about a person’s cognitive functioning through conversation and observation. This is also where I learn about the patient’s goals. Testing and clinical interviews should be used in conjunction to determine the course of therapy. In my opinion, cognitive rehabilitation should always begin with education and functional strategies and tools. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “cluttered desk, cluttered mind”. In order for people to function at their best, it is important that the day-to-day operations are efficient and that they have healthy habits. This is where I typically begin. Treatment cannot be approached with a “a one size fits all” mentality. In my office, the patient learns about why specific habits and tools are going to be effective for them, and not necessarily someone else.
Once the day to day operations are smoother, we will begin to address the deficits identified through testing. Most of the time, by this point, people already feel they are focusing better and remembering more. Here is where we will bring in cognitive exercises to maximize improvements. It is important that the exercises are chosen deliberately, with purpose. That purpose should be explained to the patient. This is how we get the best outcomes!
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