Testimonials
There are many faces of autism: a manifestation of behaviors that range vastly. My son was violent. Self injurious behaviors started at a young age. It began with head banging and quickie progressed into tantraming that required an adult to intervene fully knowing we would get equally abused ourselves. Our physical scares are a heart wrenching reminder of his younger years. Diagnosed with autism, his case was once referred to as "the worst I’ve ever seen" by a professional. He scored 24 out of 24 on his ADOS and at 18 month old his communication skills fell into the 0 to 3 month old range.
We were advised to place him in a padded playpen and leave him in a room alone until he quit tantruming. On our first and only attempt we didn't even get out of the room and he had put his teeth in his bottom lip and had blood streaming down his face. We knew our sons condition was emergent. We had to start somewhere and we had to start NOW! We began with the GF/CF diet at 20 months old followed by an intense biomedical protocol, which is still ongoing, including B-12 injections, antifungal and chelating. At 24 months old we began an in home ABA program which ran @ 38 hours per week for 2 years and 4 months. Once he started preschool and was having huge meltdowns we began a family program of guiding and teaching in a natural environment called Relationship Development Intervention.
My husband and I were so grateful to see any progress and always felt a slow but steady improvement. We continued on a path of "what next" and NEVER stopped our continued search for interventions. When our son was 7 my husband fell ill to a life time illness and became disabled. No longer able to work, we moved and I began working more and my son’s behavior just slowly got worse. Life became too unmanageable for him and his violent side worsened. At age 8 1/2, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He began taking medication and we were all so relieved that the outburst had subsided. We continued "treading water" for a few months like this.
Right after he turned 9 my husband passed away. This began a new chapter in me and my son’s life. It was time to refocus, assess and make a plan. A very close friend had used neurofeedback with 3 out of 4 of her kids. They had cured dyslexia in one, anxiety and social impairments in another and anxiety and defiance in the third. This spurred another mother of an autistic child into seeking treatment for her son. She found Lora Lonsberry, PhD. As the weeks progressed I watched her son’s awkwardness disappear before my eyes. I knew in my heart that this was the path for us. 2 1/2 months ago I began having my son treated by Lora Lonsberry twice a week.
At first the treatment sessions were difficult to get through but the healing had begun and by the third or fourth treatment he was much more compliant. We are almost half way through our treatment plan with Lora and everyone in our life cannot believe the difference in him. The babysitter is asking about it. She reports him talking more, telling her when he needs something, tolerating situations she used to have her husband remove him from. He was once her toughest kid and now he is one of the easy ones. At school, he is staying longer in the day; they don’t have to call me to come get him anymore. They also report that he is much for flexible. At home he now sits at the table during meal time, sleeps better and is considerably less hyper. He can even take "no" for an answer. He can also learn from a previous experience and remember for next time. When he gets really upset which is very seldom, he is never violent and can process what I am saying without me having to write it down for him. He also can recover and transition into something else very quickly now. I couldn't have expected this much progress. I wouldn't have. I am so grateful to Lora for what she has done for him. I can’t wait to see what the next couple of months will bring. Things happen when they are suppose to, I am a firm believer in that. I just wish his Dad could have seen him like this. He is developing into a productive and functional child. I see more healing for him in the up and coming weeks and for the first time I am at peace in knowing his development is progressing. I can see it before my very eyes.
By: K, mother of 9 year old son whose autistic symptoms of disregulation are abating.
My entire life I suffered from a form of depression called Disthymia. After years of psychotherapy and use of anti-depression / anti-anxiety drugs, I still suffered. I finally decided I would simply have to live with depression for the rest of my life. Than I read an article by Lora Lonsberry concerning Neurofeedback as a way of conquering Disthymia. With total skepticism I met with Lora and began my treatments the following week. Today my treatments are winding down and I’m a true believer in Neurofeedback. I feel more sustained peace and joy than I have ever felt in my life. I still have a day here and there when I feel a bit sad but my brain has learned what to do with that and the sadness never lasts long. I am so happy I tried Neurofeedback despite my skepticism and look forward to a depression-free future.
By: J
I cannot begin to describe how seeing Dr. Lora Lonsberry has changed my life! I can only now begin to appreciate what she has done and is doing for me.
I did not know what a prisoner I was of my own fears. I knew they had allowed me to live many years being abused. Even when I finally realized I was not to blame, I was just trying to survive. I loved the person who told me everything was my fault. Things that happened with that and after just added to my tattered mental state.
Dr. Lora Lonsberry saw me for anxiety first due to all that, but diagnosed me with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and enabled me to see what had happened to me and learn how to deal with it. I am putting my life back together with her help, a life in which I can focus on the here and now instead of a fear-based life.
By: BBH "Retired"
Neurofeedback really changed me. By training my brain, I was able to overcome my bad habits and problems that I had. Before I did neurofeedback, I had many compulsive behaviors and lacked on motivation. Now I am a completely different person. I am more of a leader and I am more flexible to try new things. I can flip through books and find exactly what I am looking for by skimming through it, I used to be terrible at that. I am also a better person now. I step up for people who are getting bullied, I am not as hyper or as immature now, and my sleeping problems have gone completely away. Now I am a much more likable person and I get along with many more people at school. My math problems are making more sense to me and I am doing great in school.
Neurofeedback also changed a lot of little things that made a big difference in my life. I am more talented with my left hand, my reflexes and coordination are much better, my hand writing improved greatly, I am more creative, I have a better sense of humor, and I am very motivated. I am eating healthier and my memory works better than I ever imagined.
By: MQ "Now 13 year old sports star"
B, this is the kid who juggled Fs, Ds, and a few better grades. His first report card this year: Science B, English A, Health B+, Algebra C (last year we prayed for a passing D), Global Studies A-, Art A. But that's only part of the picture. What the teachers said is more revealing. In their words: (Global Studies) Great contributor, can set the tone and drive the discussion to a certain extent., understands what it is to have a thesis & support it. The intellectual side of it he's got. Doing well, continue to grow. Doing a good job. Doesn't have any limitations. (Math) He tries, love his attitude, think he'll continue to do well. I think he's figuring it out, and advocating for himself. Think he likes being there (in Math - which was the worst subject last year).
He's really coming out of his shell. He's feeling empowered. He's gonna integrate into society well. I think he'll be able to do what he wants to do. (Art) Great student. I like him and his attitude. (Science, this teacher had him last year too) Really enjoy having him this year. Been working well in class, doesn't get frustrated as easily. The improvement has been amazing. And with the other students socially. Just been awesome to see. Taking the tests in class (instead of separately with a classroom aide helping him). Able to focus, write down what he needs to without getting flustered/tired/whatever it was. Penmanship & note taking improved. (Used to miss half of the notes or more in the fill in the blank sheets.) Now he's filling in the outlines. Been doing so well. Especially socially - just knowing when it;s OK to talk, and the tone (of the talking).
Tiffs with the classroom aide have improved. Very little stuttering now, not much stretchies now. A lot more settled and calm now. No more of the built up tension - It's blown me away. Definitely amazing how much better he's doing this year. Seems happier. Just not so tense. (Health) Keep doing what you're doing. ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE REGULAR MAINSTREAM CLASSES -------------------------------------- (English [his one Special Ed class]/Special Ed case manager) Acting like a young adult, not a little kid. Difference is night and day. One of my top students. More aware of and wanting to do what the other kids do. Doesn't go berserk or perseverate on a subject. Not wiping his mouth/sucking on his shirt anymore. Still paces some. Still working on his organization (misplaces papers). See so many improvements in him. A joy to be around.
He's taking direction in what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Not doing the minor aggressive behavior anymore. (This from someone who I thought in the past was a bad personality match for him.) Thought it was cute seeing him walking with his arm around his girlfriend. Doing very well in study hall. The aide is stepping back there. B is getting started more on his assignments and the aide follows up, asking what he needs to do. Study hall teacher says he's using his time well. The huge differences in him could not be just due to the summer break. She agreed with me, it must be the Neurofeedback. (Every teacher said he's a different kid.) he had no homework, he brought home his Algebra book and studied it on his own. We didn't tell him, it was totally his own idea. That's motivation.
By: C "Mother of 16 year old son that had been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome"
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