Rhona Paul-Cohen, M.S., CCC-Sp.

Rhona Paul-Cohen, M.S., CCC-Sp. is a licensed speech-language pathologist and cognitive remediation specialist.
She has specialized in treating adults with cognitive impairments stemming from a variety of causes including:  traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, aneurysm, ADD/ADHD, dementia, and brain tumors. She has over 25 years of experience in the field of cognitive remediation and has been in Private Practice in Cherry Hill, NJ for the past 20 years.

What is Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy?

Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (CRT) is the process of relearning cognitive skills that have been lost or altered as a result of damage to brain cells/chemistry. If skills cannot be relearned, then new ones have to be taught to enable the person to compensate for their lost cognitive functions. The process of CRT comprises 4 components:

• Education about cognitive weaknesses and strengths. The focus here is on developing awareness of the problem.
• Process Training. This refers to the development of skills through direct retraining or practicing the underlying cognitive skills. The focus here is on resolving the problem.
• Strategy Training. This involves the use of environmental, internal and external strategies. The focus here is on compensating rather than resolving the problem.
• Functional Activities Training. This involves the application of the other three components in everyday life. The focus here is on real life improvements.

The Brain Injury Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group (BI-ISIG) of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine defines cognitive rehabilitation therapy to be a:

“systematic, functionally-oriented service of therapeutic cognitive activities, based on an assessment and understanding of the person’s brain-behavior deficits.” “Services are directed to achieve functional changes by (1) reinforcing, strengthening, or reestablishing previously learned patterns of behavior, or (2) establishing new patterns of cognitive activity or compensatory mechanisms for impaired neurological systems”.

What Should I Expect with Cognitive Remediation?

Treatment is individualized and focuses on the development of strategies and techniques to compensate and remediate cognitive weaknesses.  The goal of the intervention is to maximize daily functioning while developing meaningful and successful daily activity patterns.

Cognitive Remediation is directed to achieve functional changes by:

• Reinforcing, strengthening or establishing successful behavior patterns.
• Establishing new patterns of cognitive activity or mechanisms to compensate for impaired neurological systems.

Interventions are tailored to help the individual be as independent as possible in the management of his or her everyday routines and responsibilities in their home and community.

Sessions are one-on-one and are patient-centered.  Each session is tailored to the specific needs of the individual.  Family and/or significant others are encouraged to attend sessions so that they may be better able to support the treatment initiatives and so that they may be able to share their insights.

Sessions are generally scheduled once a week for one hour.  Follow up via email to promote carryover to treatment goals is also provided, when indicated.

How do cognitive remediation goals help me with my life skills?

• Aim is to enhance your functional competence in real world situations by direct retraining, compensatory strategies or cognitive tools.
• Help individuals make most of abilities and increase self-reliance and self-confidence by providing training, resources, information and adaptive equipment.
• Involve in experiences that require individuals to interact, analyze, question, reflect and connect what they have learned in new situations in the community.

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Please use the form below to contact me with questions you may have regarding my services. I will respond to your inquiry within  72 hours. If you need to get in touch before that, please call me at the above phone number, during my regular business hours.