Michael's Progress
Michael was able to fly to Phoenix and attend a four week "CCBT" session last year. Prior to this, Michael had dropped out of college because the anxiety he experiences in so many university situations made it impossible for him to study, participate in class, and deal with all the other students, let alone make a presentation or speech.
Dr. Richards' program was a surprise (somewhat anyway) to Michael and certainly a surprise to Jerry and me. Michael came back with over 100 "cognitive" methods or ways of dealing with his social phobia (which they are calling social anxiety more often now).
When he told us all the things he had done -- successfully -- in the behavioral group, and then out in public at shopping centers and malls, we were very very happy.
Dr. Richards had emphasized -- over and over again (I read all the pre-therapy mail, snoop that I am!) that the people coming had to continue the cognitive part of the session for months after they returned home, as well as continue what they had started with the "doing" things.
This was an up-and-down experience for Michael, as I am told is normal, but he did continue to feel better and was certainly able to do more social things successfully than he ever had before.
Anyway, even though it was hard on all of us at times, Michael did keep up with the therapy -- there are no groups or therapy near us -- and has made wonderful progress. He asked a girl out on a date (they went), he found a part-time job, and several months later took on a better job, and enrolled at the same university he had dropped out of three years ago.
He is there now. One completed semester, and doing well in his second. He has friends now -- and he is thrilled, as is his father and me.
Everything is not perfect, but he continues to make progress and continues to get better -- and I am extremely happy.
Thank you to everyone who has read these pages the last three or four years. I thought I would write this to let you know the reason we put this page together in the first place. And special thanks to Dr. Richards whose programs for social phobia work (and he is honest about recovery times, etc.) and for all the e-mailing he did with Michael after Michael returned from Phoenix.
Dr. Richards has finished his twenty (20) audio tape therapy series on social anxiety, and I know that they will be instrumental in helping many hundreds of other people with social phobia get better, too. Do check out his web site. I think you will be surprised at all he is doing to help people with social phobia.
I will try to update this page more often.
UPDATE: February 2003: Michael just gave a solo speech last semester and did well! He even made an "A" in the class. Dr. Richards, through the Social Anxiety Institute, has sent Michael the audio therapy tapes to reinforce what he has already learned. I listened to several of them and can more fully see why CBT works.
Anyway, Michael continues to do well, and his life continues to expand. Thank you, everyone!
LMB