Kimberly
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(I see that his subsequent appointment has passed, and I'd love to hear the follow up... but just the same, I'm going to write this as if it hasn't happened, addressing the hypothetical client, rather than this specific man)
I suspect that his anxiety is due to his angst about aging, and would start there. I would first want more information on the people in his own life who aged before him. For example, if his own father had dementia or alzheimers, then I'd identify how this relates to his own anxiety over aging. I'd not leave unmentioned the fact that he can remember, for an extended period of time, to continue to press his memory in search of the information that he has misplaced - thereby reiterating that his memory is quite good (for if he were going senile, he'd surely lose focus and forget that he as even trying to remember something!) I'd work on teaching some basic relaxation skills, as well as instilling a greater sense of general trust and confidence in his own ability to access the information when he is in a more relaxed state. This reminds me of a similar situation I've had with my child, who has become very rigid and angry when she forgets something that she wants to remember. I liken her brain to a sponge. It absorbs massive amounts of information, which travels through the fibers of the sponge to her conscious remembrance. However, in a state of distress, whilst trying to capture a run-away thought, she squeezes the sponge so hard that she can't remember anything (all the thoughts/water escape under pressure, and the fibers, also under pressure, can't effectively carry a thought to her remembrance). It is only by allowing the sponge to relax in the pool of her own thoughts that she then trust that, when the fibers around the memory or information have relaxed sufficiently, it will be released to travel into her conscious knowing again. Also, I'd have him identify the secondary gains of anxiety itself. Often times people get anxious/worry, not only because of their fears, but because it gives them a sense that they are DOING something about a situation. Obviously, this mans issue isn't about remembering a name that a simple google search would remedy, but rather about reaffirming his own ability to access the information in his own mind. He doesn't want the answer, he wants the confidence that he can recall the answer that he already knows he has within him. I'd work on the premise that his determination proves that he knows its in there somewhere, and help him to utilize new resources of relaxation and self hypnosis in order to have a more positive means to accomplish the goal. Sometimes people mistakenly think that if they relax, they have essentially given up, because they don't recognize relaxation as an active state, but view it instead as passive and thereby disempowering. Truly, increasing his confidence and anchoring him to positive experiences of recall and mental acuity, while also addressing whatever latent fears of aging may be present, in conjunction with arming him with tools and resources for relaxation during times of anxiety/stress seems appropriate, to me.
I'd love feedback, as I myself am not seasoned in the field, and if someone with more experience or insight has some correction of my theory to share, I heartily welcome it! Thanks!!! :)
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Feb 06th, 2012 03:30
