Dear Alice,
I received B’s 6-week progress report this past Saturday. B had 4 A’s and 2 B’s! These grades more adequately reflect B’s abilities. He would, of course, not have gotten these grades if it were not for your suggesting that B be eligible for I.L. study What a difference this wonderful class has made in B’s ability to manage his time, organize his work, and prioritize.
Thank you for your advice and support over the years. Good luck to you in your “new” life away from Saratoga classrooms.
Fondly,
V
Dear Alice,
Thank you so much for testing A. You made it very easy for her. She said, “the lady was very nice”, and I told her I know that and that she was a friend of mine.
You can imagine how I feel having my baby lagging on anyway.
But at least now I’m more educated and responsible about all of this.
I have included everything I could come up with that might help you.
Thank you for all that you are doing to help us.
Sincerely,
(parent)
testimonials
Hi Dr. Ruzicka,
It has now been about six years since you worked with our daughter, XX. As you might recall, you helped to diagnosed her ADHD and suggested helpful ways to best work with it.
Here's an update: XX is now in 8th grade at ------ Middle School in -------. She has had 504 plans each year in school, and that has worked out well. Last week we attended a ceremony at her school for top academic achievers. So far, XX has earned a 4.0 gpa in 6th grade and a 4.0 gpa in 7th grade, and is well on her way to the same this year. Last week we received the results of the most recent state standardized tests that she took. As you predicted, she (once again) scored in the 100% percentile in math. (Yes, the 100th!)
Last year, she earned her black belt in karate. She had stuck with that sport for five years, going regularly three to four days a week. The structure and discipline of karate appealed to her (as you would expect). Because she is becoming rather tall (currently she is 5'7" on her way to 5'11"), she decided she would like to switch, and play volleyball. I am curious to see how she masters this new challenge as well.
XX still takes medicine before school and right before homework in the afternoons. She now can recognize the feeling of the medicine starting to work, and of it wearing off. And we all have learned to laugh with her about the effects once it has completely worn off, when she acts what used to be called "spacy."
Here is one interesting anecdote that I might have shared with you before. I forget. (Hmmm). XX and I occasionally play a game called ConnectFour. It is a vertical tic-tic-toe game played with checkers. Sometimes we play a "speed" game: you must make your move immediately after your opponent. XX can beat me virtually 100% of the time. But when we slow it down to where I can ponder through all the implications of my next move, the odds shift more to 50/50. She very much enjoys knowing that her brain has powers beyond most other people. (And we tease her to use those super powers for good and not evil :)
I think it is important to let people know when they make a difference in the world. You have done so, and we thank you for that. XX is now well on her way to a life full of more choices and opportunities than otherwise might have been. And our family has had a far richer past six years than perhaps otherwise might have been.
Please feel free to refer prospective clients to C or me: we'll be happy to speak to our experiences. And feel free to use any information from this note as long as XX's name and school are kept anonymous.
Warm regards,
(parents)
The following testimonials were received, unsolicited, from clients. The names and identifying information have been eliminated for purposes of privacy and confidentiality.
Dear Alice,
Once again, I am at a loss at how to thank you enough.
With much affection,
(parent and children signatures)
Alice: I can’t tell you how grateful we are for your assistance and expertise in helping our son. He now has the opportunity to attend the graduate schools he should be in but this never would have happened without your help. The extra time for the graduate exams made all the difference in the world and allowed him to complete the tests. It must be wonderful to be in a profession in which you make such a profound life-long difference for young people. We will be forever grateful for your contributioin to our son’s promising future.
Dr. and Mrs. X
Hi Alice,
Hope all is well. D finished his junior year with a 3.74. He could not have been able to be successful without your help.
(parent signature)
Dear Alice -- Thank you for your kind and useful help yesterday. We were encouraged by your advice. Also, thank you for charging us less than usual. I did not realize that we were in your office so long. You must have had to tweak your schedule to accommodate us.
Incidentally, we spoke of "The Geography of Bliss" book, but I also wanted to mention that a major recent Gallup poll found that the people living in District 14; i.e., Saratoga, etc. were the happiest in the nation. Surely, you can take some responsibility for that!
All our best, (wife and husband signatures)
Dear Alice,
Thank you for your continued dedication to J, not to mention your support and friendship to me.
J has never doubted his decision. He has shown conviction and maturity that I am so proud of. I know he is in a better place, but more importantly, so does he.
We know you pushed this through for him, and are, as ever, more appreciative than we know how to express.
(parent and signature of child)
Dear Dr. Ruzicka,
Thank you so much for your letter. I was deeply touched by your great charity. The Lord will certainly reward you for giving selflessly to his little poor ones. Even moreso, however, I would like to express my gratitude for just being the lovely person that you are. When I returned home from your office my heart was so full for having met someone who so strikingly resembles Christ. It couldn’t have been more evident to one that you care deeply for each and every soul that enters into your life, and that you desire wholeness for them in every aspect of their life. Our Blessed Lord said, “I come that they may have life and have it to the full.” Even if you are not fully aware of it, you manifest to those who come to you the beautiful face of Christ who makes beautiful those He gazes upon with his love. I will always remember you in my prayers.
I’m also so grateful for the book you sent with the cute goldfish cover. I already “dove in” and started reading it. I will recommend this book to my family when I write them this month.......
God Bless you always,.........(signature)
We found out mid-December that XXX was approved for AAMC accommodations! I cannot even begin to tell you what a relief it was to find this out! They granted her time and a half, stop the clock for 15 minutes per section, and testing on two days. She is currently scheduled to take the MCAT on January 14 and 15.
Again, there is no way we could have gotten here without you! Thank you so much for your testing creativity, hard work and for everything you have done for XXX. It truly has opened this door for her future.
You are SO appreciated!
Alice Ruzicka, Ph.D., ABN, FACPN
Licensed Psychologist PSY 13284
Parent note:
Dear Dr. Ruzicka,
We want to thank you very much for your help in determining what was going on with our son, Y. Your diagnosis and the subsequent therapy from Dr. XX and Dr. YY, along with XX High School supporting it fully, has allowed X to blossom into his full potential. He turned 180 degrees in school, earning very good grades and even being the recipient of the XX Award in his xx class. Y has created a web series called “xxxx” which he co-wrote and directed. He was accepted into (prestigious college) and was given a $60,000 xxx achievement award toward the four years of tuition. He is excited to start college this fall.
So I want to say that, really, I feel you saved his life. In Judaism, there is a teaching that says if someone saves a single human life, it is as if he or she has saved the equivalent of the entire word. This I truly believe. Our gratitude to you is immeasurable for what you have helped Y achieve. There are really no words to state our deep and heartfelt appreciation. All we can simply say is “thank you.” With utmost sincerity….(parents).
Dear Alice,
You made me feel lots better, thank you!
(child signature)
I think of you often with much gratitude. You were very important in helping X to swim and not sink at college. You were the first to properly diagnose him. Because of this, he has been given his exams in a separate quiet room with time and a half. This has enabled him to get all As and A-‘s so far. Having good grades in the beginning helped him later when he suffered bouts of anxiety and self-doubt and thought he was going to fail the quarter. I pointed out to him that he had to do was make C’s and he would still have a good enough average. This gave him the courage to keep going and (surprise, surprise), he made A’s again after all.
Like a cascade, one thing leads to another. Because he could handle the classwork, he was able to do a research project, which led him to do [well known company], which led him, most recently, to land his first internship for this summer at X. I believe you set the ball rolling for him to reach these milestones. He has many more steps to climb, but each step gives him courage to work toward the next. I wanted you to know that I will always be grateful to you for your expertise at diagnosis and testing and for your kind-hearted spirit. You have given him a better chance of reaching the future he wants.
(From the parent of a college student)