complex experiences caused fatigue and internal frustration as I was growing up. The noise and natural exuberance of a football game, the chatter of a party, the external complexity of a business meeting or convention triggered an intense experi- ence of overload. I was painfully aware of inner confusion, of misunderstanding what people said, of poor memory, of re- duced eye contact, of being physically and emotionally touchy, and of the body-aching fatigue that usually resulted from such encounters. The fatigue and a desire to go to sleep were always Present, and as they became stronger, I was aware of even poorer abilities to cope with the situation. I participated in a limited way in these activities, but was always the first to go home, or the one who fell asleep in the middle ofa party. Iwas painfully shy, and very much of an introvert. Some people described me as antisocial. In quieter situations I was comfort- able and outgoing. The world seemed to make more sense, and relationships with other people were easy and pleasurable. --- PAGE 5 (OCR) --- Winter 1991 My initial participation in the GATEWAY VOYAGE in the spring of 1981 facilitated a different set of responses to my normal environment. I first noticed it during the plane trip home. I generally experienced airports as extremely stressful places. The bustle of people, the overwhelming smells from snack bars, and the random announcements of plane depar-
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tures required a good bit of conscious focusing and sorting out to get me to my destination. I arrived home from that trip ina calm and peaceful state of mind and body. I noticed this change with interest, but thought little about it. Iwas working in a hospital clinic for children with cerebral palsy at the time. On clinic days my ability to function effi- ciently was pushed to the maximum. In a five-hour period, I might see six children for evaluations. There was no real schedule, anda therapist would just pick up the next child who was ready. Thus, there was no way of preparing for a specific child. This was followed by a staffing session in which five or six different professionals would discuss findings on each child and decide upon a set of recommendations. This meeting was usually chaotic, and interspersed with ringing telephones and a general sense of impatience. At the end of the meeting I was expected to type a brief report for each child while sitting in an office with two other persons who were writing reports or talking on the telephone. I was exhausted and constantly frustrated with what I had agreed to do. After my GATEWAY program, I had some new tools. I listened to a METAMUSIC tape through my Walkman™ as I prepared for the ic day. I found a quiet therapy room during lunchtime and listened to the Catnapper tape before the staff meeting. I wore head- phones and was supported by the Concentration tape while writing reports.
As I included at least an hour of Hemi-Sync listening a day, I found myself able to deal easily with most parties, sports events, and shopping trips without specific preparation. My life and perspective expanded. The ease with which I commu- nicated during professional workshops and responded to ques- tions from a large group increased perceptibly. My personal and professional life changed and I was happier and much more effective and efficient. I didn’t think much about why Hemi-Sync helped me this way until last fall. I was invited to present a three-hour Short Course at the annual convention of the American Speech-Hearing-Lan- guage Association in St. Louis, Missouri, in November of 1989. In the past, ASHA conventions have represented the outer limits of my ability to cope. The meeting is usually attended by 7,000 to 10,000 persons. Sessions are held in three or four different hotels in a city, and rooms often fill quickly for the more popular lectures or topics, leaving many people unable to get into the sessions they desire. An exhibit hall the size of two to three football fields with hundreds of exhibitors pro- vides an additional auditory and visual feast. I accepted the invitation and was informed that my Short Course sold out immediately, and I could expect to teach a group of 500 persons! I had not attended an ASHA convention for ten years and had no experience with meetings of this size since my introduction to Hemi-Sync. I assumed that since my overall