Mediation, the Best Mountain to Climb
By Dr. Jeanne Zehr, Director of the MINDCAP Center
In most circles of thought, the word “mediation” conjures up visions of lawyers navigating troubled waters between two people who are in a disagreement. At The MINDCAP Center, however, the word mediation means something different, yet there is still some similarity. We call ourselves mediators when we work with our clients. We are mediating a client’s thinking versus a cognitive challenge. We have the honor of using multiple levels of Feuerstein, an Israeli cognitive skills program, developed in response to the holocaust. Reuven Feuerstein recognized that to help concentration camp survivors regain ability to think and learn, there would need to be intensive human interaction of the highest quality. He eventually called the method “Mediated Learning Experience” and most of us call it simply “mediation” in our daily work. Feuerstein did not invent this technique. I think it’s more accurate to say he recognized mediation for how powerful a tool human interaction can be when navigating the troubled waters of the psyche. Besides, human interaction is what caused the trauma. Now, kind and caring, yet intensive and specifically directed, human interaction was needed to undue the trauma’s effect on thinking and living.
At The MINDCAP Center, we have applied Feuerstein’s method of mediation to many kinds of conditions, from autism to ADHD, from intellectual disability to giftedness, from brain injury to brain fog. I like to think mediation is like climbing a mountain, an amazing mountain. Once you reach the top, the view is incredible! At the base of the mountain is what Feuerstein called intentionality-reciprocity or the simple give and take of human interaction and the most important parameter of mediation. Without this – there is no human interaction, just empty words. As you climb you begin to seek meaning in the effort. Why in the world am I climbing this mountain? When we interact with our clients, we help them find meaning in the cognitive challenges we provide them via the Feuerstein materials. As you reach the top of the mountain, you finally arrive at transcendence! Now I see why I did this much work to get to the top! I can see forever from here. I have a reason to live and a purpose! I can change. I am not stuck with this brain in trauma, or fog, or inattention.
Call us today at 260-471-4650 to see how we can help you climb this amazing mountain we call mediation!