Seniors Success Stories

Dear Beba –

This is a remarkable and wonderful "ministration" you provide these classes have certainly enriched my life! My organizational skills have been improved immensely, not to mention memory and retention (I don't have to look up friends phone numbers anymore, I remember them!) I do believe I am a much happier lady too, thanks to you. It must give you great joy to see what a real difference you make in your clients lives. How fortunate we all are to have known you.

Most sincerely,
Dora Age: 82 years young

Hi, Master David,

I would like to thank you for the pleasure of your company, and also for the mental discipline your "dots" have given me. I hope this will slow down my too speedy ways. After all, what's the rush?!! Freeway driving, with all its similarity to chess maneuvering, is perhaps safer for me now. Thanks for telling me how to get around those SUV's. And I want to congratulate you on getting the military assignment! I know you will be a big help to the returning soldiers with "mixed up brains". David, you have been a big help to each of us (only some with "mixed up brains").

Thanks so much,
Betty Earahart (85)

P.S. I am printing this because my printer is misbehaving; and my handwriting is pretty, but not entirely decipherable. I'll surely miss the fun of those "puzzles." Almost more stimulating than bridge. Ms Betty Oxman  

Can you imagine what it feels like to be afraid to drive after you have been driving all of your adult life? On July 25, 2008, I have a small stroke that affected my vision and my face and place memory. Well known faces appeared altered and familiar streets and neighborhoods became unrecognizable. I began cognitive therapy at Cognition Ignition on August 20, 2008. On October 7th, (my 12th session) I was complaining to Beba that I was so afraid to drive myself on the freeway that the very thought made me sick. The very next day I was able to drive myself from Encinitas to Escondido and later in the same day I drove on the freeway from Encinitas to Carlsbad and had no fear. I can't explain what happened from one day to the next, I can only be very happy. I feel that I have regained my independence and for a 75 year young woman, this is no small matter. Since then, my driving is confident, effortless and without fear.

With sincerest thanks to Beba and Cognition Ignition.
Mickey Kopol
Encinitas, CA

I've always liked puzzles, any kind. In my mind they represent a treasure hunt on paper, or in the form of manipulating objects. So, when I began the Feuerstein Instrumental Technique, administered by Dr. David "Beba" Witkowski , at Cognition Ignition in Encinitas, I approached it more like a puzzle game, and for the first several sessions I was looking at it as "fun", rather than expecting anything great to happen in my cognitive abilities. Wow was I wrong!

As a 78 year old "senior " I had noticed that my mind wasn't as sharp as it used to be: my short-term memory wasn't as reliable, my ability to concisely summarized articles I have read was very poor, and my concentration was scattered and poor. I had just assumed it was due to the side effects of aging, and therefore nothing could be done to sharpen it. In general, my mind felt like a tightly knit sweater that was starting to unravel, with all the stitches loosening. So recently I was quite amazed when I began to notice my concentration was slowing improving, my cognitive ability to summarize was getting better, though it still had a way to go, and my short-term memory along with the ability to remember just the word I was looking for, were also improving. This was after about 10 sessions.

I am very excited to realize that the brain, which I have always considered akin to a muscle, is undergoing changes. One of the ways I know this is, when I finish a session, I can feel the brain reacting much like a muscle after exercise. It's tired! But I also think as it gets stronger it will become more efficient.

Today, after about 15 sessions, I notice my short-term memory is still improving, and my concentration is tighter and still more focused. I am still working on my summarization ability, but I have great expectations for that too.

One of the best things is the attitude and skill of the administrator, Dr, Dave Witkowski. He approaches each session with a lightness and with humor, so I never feel that it's a chore for him, nor is it embarrassing to me. There is always an attitude of "you can do it" and never any judgment. I feel that this attitude why the sessions and the "instruments", as they are called, are so successful.

What a great gift these cognitive instruments are! They are varied, and the sessions are cleverly designed to get harder by small steps, so that I never feel that I could not solve the problems, though sometimes it takes a while! How much I wish that anyone suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury, or from ADHD, or from Autism, just name some of the most prominent conditions in the United States today, and could avail themselves of this repair of the brain's functions. The amazing thing is, it actually WORKS!

Thank you Dr. Feuerstein for you incredible gift to humanity all over the world!!

I have found David Witkowski's Cognition Ignition to be a unique process to benefit people of all ages. My personal experience has developed to the degree that I have a greater capacity to balance the left and right hemispheres of my brain. Additionally, visualization, three dimensional cognition, depth perception, and all around focus and concentration increased. When I first began the sessions, I had a tendency to want o skip ahead without completing the boxes in sequence. It was not long before that tendency stopped. I attribute this to the focus and concentration benefits I received from the first sessions. A fulfilling and satisfying sense of accomplishment in meeting a challenge is the result. I found myself really looking forward to it because I was enjoying the process so much, I did not want them to stop at the end! The enhanced qualities I have mentioned here will serve me in every area of my life.

David's personal approach to giving sessions is a combination of people skills, humor and a light spirit that encourages rapid improvement and rewarding results for those following his instructions in the cognition process.

I highly recommend Cognition Ignition to people in all walks of life, both adults and children of every age, to enhance important skills and to increase the quality of life.

Shirley Finch

Feurerstein Organization of Dots

David, thank you so much for introducing me to this "brain expanding" program. I greatly enjoy these kinds of challenges, and they certainly are challenges! These types of activities have a very calming effect on me. I have noticed some shift in my memory and approach to problem solving. I will list a few instances:

*I recently ran into two of my former students I taught fifteen years ago. They recognized me, reintroduced themselves, and I began to recall very specific activities we did together. I always did morning exercise in which we cross our midline and balanced plus weaving and other "non-mainstream" types of activities… I also remembered their special personalities, Morgan's frequent nose bleeds, etc. It was a very enjoyable reunion for all of us.

*I have never been good at remembering names, but I have observed some progress in that area.

*My computer simply shut down a few days ago. I systematically went through every possibility, and low and behold, I discovered it was my surge bar. I did not expect that at first because it was still lit up, but I finally just plugged all the cords into the other room outlets and as Marcelle would say "walla!!" Before this class, I would just have assumed my old computer had died, but now I don't give up so readily.

*Your gift of time, effort, and expertise is very much appreciated. It was truly a gift paid forward!!

Sincerely,
Diane Jaffari (73)

"Cognition Ignition" has been fun – it has made me realize I see things I wasn't aware that I was seeing. It has made me very aware and focused on the "subject" (DOTS!) to find the pattern which opens the door to complete the "puzzle". I was doing just fine until I hit page 23….that one really stumpted me; however, once you showed me the clue, I was able to move forward. ….I needed that 'jump start' to continue on. I had to open my mind more to enable me to see what was right in front of me and to be able to focus on it.

Thank you so much David, for letting me experience this – it has been a real eye opener. I can see where it can truly help people who have been through some mental trauma and get them on the road to recovery and healing.

Mary Crawford (62)

Connecting Dots

The concept of connecting dots seems almost simplistic, a child can do it. But then something happens, connecting dots is much harder than it looks. I realized that I need to put my brain to work by training it to focus. Focus on the task in front of me: right angles, these shapes first that one last, stay with the square until it is finished, see shapes first.

After a few sessions, with David's coaching and his persistence, something started to happen. The connecting became more methodical, followed rules. The concentration became more intense, the focus was on the square. There was no room to meander to other thoughts. The belief of "I can do that" grew.

Connecting dots transformed my daily life. My brain, my thoughts are becoming more tame. My problem solving process is more calm and orderly. I stay within the frame, connecting the dots. "Stay with the process for as long as it takes you to get it." There is not much rambling and fluttering going on. My mind is following rules and is kept in check. I have much more confidence in solving problems and overcoming hurdles.

Connecting dots is not only good for the brain and mind but also for the general well being and balance of body and spirit. My personality traits are growing fainter, my soul is more peaceful. I strongly believe that David's work is benefitting everyone, young and old. Thank you David for giving me the opportunity to participate in this life changing exercise. Ursula Jabri (67)