Sukie and Sarah's Story
Life was challenging to say the least. I noticed certain behaviours in my daughter that led me to believe that she had sensory integration challenges. When she was with anyone other than myself, she was the perfect child and then when she was with me after this, she would have melt down after melt down. Sometimes she would get wound up so high that she could not bring herself back down and I would have to hold her while she had extreme tantrums. Ever since I can remember Sukie loved doing physically challenging things and if she fell running at high speed, she wouldn't feel it. Sukie could go from high levels of control to none what-so- ever. Recognizing this behaviour wasn't as difficult as I, myself, had similar behaviour patterns. It was difficult to talk to people because as far as they could see Sukie was fine, and largely advanced in so many areas that when I tried to explain the problem, it wasn't so apparent. After one particular breakdown at Riverdale Farm that had the whole Farmer's Market wondering who was being murdered, I felt that something needed to be done.
Enter the Listening Centre. We began the program right away; both Sukie and myself. I noticed improvements immediately in Sukie's ability to listen to me and regulate herself. By the end of our treatment program both Sukie and myself had an improved sense of self and her extreme tantrums dwindled to rare. I found that the way we were both treated and validated was a deeply important part of the treatment. The directors and staff of The Listening Centre were able to bring sense to a situation that escaped most everyone else. Something that had been a real source of pain was identified and treated. It was at times difficult as growth and transformation usually are, but the staff was so supportive and informed that it smoothed the process.
The founder, Paul Madaule, likened his work to that of a mid-wife, birthing the individual's potential. I resonated strongly to this description of what had happened to me and my daughter as by the end of it I was getting ready to birth a whole new life. My relationship with my daughter has improved as did her ability to regulate herself and I felt ready to move out into the sunshine of my life.