Bob Lawson is the founder & director of Faith Counseling Service since 1983. He is a co-minister of liberty Baptist Church in Groomsville, southwest of Kokomo, IN. Bob Lawson is a licensed marriage & family therapist. He has been practicing in Kokomo for 25 years. Lawson’s wife, Ruth, is director of CAM (Coordinated Assistance Ministry), a day shelter for homeless people. She helps them find jobs if they can and will work and helps with housing, medical services & paper work getting them qualified for whatever disability benefits they qualify for.. She is also a concert pianist and presently accompanies the Kokomo Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Lawson’s view of therapy is based on the thought that through counseling there is an atmosphere where a person can grow “to be the best person one can be” as well as “self reflection and introspection are hallmarks of a mature person.”
As stated in last month’s newsletter (December 2006) Bob Lawson used a method of therapy called the “P.A.C. Theory” where a person displays behavior or thinking processes in one of the following ways:
P=Parent
A=Adult or
C=Child
In other words, each one of us as adults has a Parent-type action or reaction to life’s issues/conflicts, as well as Adult-type or Child-type action or reaction to life’s situations. Lawson further explains the P.A.C. Theory (one of three categories) applies to each person’s conversations as well as private behaviors. As persons with Brain Injury, we should strive to the best of our ability to speak & act in an adult mode whereby our thoughts & actions are mature manner:
1. State what your want, as clear as possible, without anger. People cannot read your mind to know or understand what you want.
2. Communicate what your need is. Be Honest.
3. Don’t shift blame from yourself to another person.
4. Try to resolve problems when you are feeling healthy or as good as possible, not when you are ill.
5. Facts & problems can only really be known & dealt with, through openness/honesty. “Feelings” or “being overly sensitive” are things that can easily be misinterpreted.
6. Problems occur when we/you do not listen.
7. Ask questions. Lack of self-control or “blowing up” or “claming up destroys others as well as your own esteem.
Our goal as caretakers or Brain Injured should be to live as much of our lives in the Adult mode. ##