A Case Study by Yoko Sato

"Autism" gives an impression of those who lock themselves in their own world. However, after meeting Miss M and doing some research on autism, I came to realize that they do not lock themselves in. Rather, they are very sensitive, and try to reach out to people very cautiously.

Detailed selection of essences for Miss M

First Session, 29/07/2005

Miss M visited me with her mother. I said, "Hello Miss M, how do you do?" but she did not answer me. She showed no interest, and stared vacantly. I totally failed to have a conversation with her. Finally she started to shout, "home, go back to home.” I could not help, but handed the flower essences to her mother and let them leave.

Her mother had already told me, over the phone, that Miss M has autism. So I searched and found the reference material titled "Guide to Autism." I read it in preparation for the session.

Overall, my impression was that Miss M was like an empty shell with no soul inside.

Essences recommended:

Shooting Star – for grounding, alienation and solitude. (According to the description of "Guide to Autism" published by Autism Society Japan, "the person with autism is like someone who is living in some foreign country without knowing the local language, and is constantly exposed to the sense of insecurity and stresses.")

Scarlet Monkeyflower - relates to "frustration that you feel your intention is blocked, and many types of anger and issues of power that you feel when you are pushed into difficulties." That was exactly what Miss M had been experiencing since childhood. She beat other children because of the frustration she felt when she tried to communicate with them.

Session 2, 30/08/2005

Miss M did not show up. To my regret, reportedly she refused to visit my counseling room again; I discussed with her mother and we agreed to do subsequent sessions with her mother instead, as according to Miss M’s mother’s request.

Miss M’s mother’s observations:

She (Miss M) confided in me about her unpleasant experience in junior high school. She was reprimanded by her favorite teacher for chatting too much, and she was hurt as the teacher told that "I'll staple your lips together if you won't stop chatting.”

I was impressed by her growth, as now she is able to talk emotionally about painful incidents of the past.

It is surprising that now she eats her meal quietly in the evening.

She becomes less prone than before to make a ruckus at night. I wish she could continue on this way.

Essences recommended:

Indian Paintbrush - helps to integrate the body and the soul

Alpine Lily - to accept her own femininity. She may be sexually underdeveloped due to her disability. However, her appearance was unnatural because she dressed like an elementary schoolgirl even though her physical body was fully grown up

Scarlet Monkeyflower - I continued to add this essence in order to see whether it is really effective in regard to suppressing her nighttime disturbances

Indian Paintbrush	Alpine Lily	Scarlet Monkeyflower

Session 3, 05/10/2005

Miss M did not show up again. So I had a session with her mother. We discussed Miss M, and then her mother also started to talk about her own concerns. She told me about her ex-husband, the difficult relationship with her own mother, issues between her parents, problems with succession of property after her father's death about a month ago and other issues that worried her. Overall, there were many problems in Miss M's family environment despite the wealth they had.

I recommended she attend interesting seminars more frequently to find new friends. Although Miss M's mother had little facial expression when we met for the first time, she became increasingly expressive and looks lively through these occasions. It is no wonder that Miss M's mother had become less expressive. She has no friends, her own mother is always full of anger, and her daughter is autistic and unable to have a conversation. I hope to see improvements in Miss M even if only slightly. And I also wish Miss M's mother to live in her own way with hope. Although the counseling session with Miss M was not successful, it was good to have counseling sessions with her mother instead.

Miss M’s mother’s observations:

She started to use many different colors in her oil paintings, although she had tendency to draw everything with pink.

For over ten years, she used to turn on the TV when she came home from school, watching "Together with Mom," a popular program for children. However, she stopped doing so.

She began to use the word "if' and "maybe" (though the usage is somewhat incorrect).

She started to talk about school events willingly. She used to talk fragmentally and repeatedly about the past events from years ago that occupied her mind, which is a typical symptom of autism, and never mentioned ongoing events and/or the things that actually happened in that day.

On the fifth day of using the new essences, Miss M said that "the flower essence is good, even though it tastes bad." ( The essence for Miss M is prepared by using cider vinegar. Her mother drops it directly on her tongue.)

She is going to do practice work at a seaweed packing shop for two weeks as a part of her vocational training. People with autism are typically less creative and unable to appreciate change in their lives.

One of Miss M's drawing in pink (Reference M1) shows pink-colored peach in the background painted with pink. Painting is one of her favorite activities at the school, and in most of the cases her motif is fruits. However, she recently drew a picture of musical notes (Reference M2), which was a surprise to her mother. Her mother reported that now she uses bright and pleasant colors. It is clear that there were some changes in her.

Essences recommended:

Rock Water - to ease her tension

Olive - in order to allow her to work vigorously

Mountain Pride - so that she can work with positive state of mind and confidence in herself

Rock Water	Olive	Mountain Pride

Fourth Session, 05/11/2005

The session was held with Miss M's mother again.

Miss M’s mother’s observations:

Miss M has successfully completed her two-week practice work at the seaweed packing shop with full attendance. She worked quietly, hence met the challenge.

Miss M usually goes to school by train on her own. But her mother escorted her along the way to and from the shop, as she had to take a bus to go there, and she was unfamiliar with such circumstances. On the second day of her practice work, when they came close to the bus stop, she found that the bus was approaching behind them. Then she said "let's hurry up" and started running. Her mother was astonished, as it was the first time in Miss M's entire life that she reacted to the ongoing event and indicated her intention.

Miss M was exhausted by the unfamiliar job at the seaweed packing shop. She leaned over on her mother in the return bus. Physical contact is the least favorite of the people with autism.

After completing her practice work, Miss M will be participating in a school festival and marathon meet, which requires much exercise.

Essences selected:

Aloe Vera – help with rejuvenation after physical and mental exhaustion

Self-Heal – stimulate recovery and zest for life

Aloe Vera	Self Heal

Fifth Session, 05/12/2005

Miss M did not show up. I had a counseling session with her mother again. Her mother recently smiles a lot. Her mother is actively exploring many different activities. Listening to her story makes me feel that it is hard to imagine how she was when we met for the first time.

Miss M’s mother’s observations:

She appears much calmer than before since she started to use the essences.

She behaves quietly at dinner time, and she stopped doing the "time management" of her brother.

Before using the Essences, she used to chat all the while when she was unable to fall asleep. Now she stays quiet in bed until she finally falls asleep.

She used to talk only about the past (she repeatedly mentioned about things that were on her mind). She still talks about the past, however, now she often talks about the things that happened yesterday or today, or ongoing events. She is increasingly present in the here and now.

Miss M went back to school vigorously after the practice work at seaweed packing shop and is trying hard to continue her exercises for the marathon race.

Parents and/or caregivers of the classmates increasingly point out that "you look more lovely, Miss M." Her mother confirmed that her smile is no longer unnatural; now her smiles indicate that she is really happy.

Even though she talks about past events as before, she increasingly comes to talk about the event of yesterday and/or today, responds to ongoing events, and gives her mother an impression that she is present "here and now."

Essences recommended:

Indian Paintbrush - for the purpose of encouraging integration of body and soul

Rock Water – in order to prevent possible tension from the unusual circumstances of participating in the school festival, acting in the play, and in marathon meet of the school

Sixth Session, 24/1212005

This session was held with Miss M's mother. Her mother told me that she was looking forward to visits here. Every time she visits, I noticed that her facial expressions have become more lively. I can hardly remember how she was at the initial session. I had the impression that Miss M’s mother’s face looks a bit more plumpish. Her mother requested that I prescribe essences for her and also for her son, which was my pleasure. She added that she will recommend her own mother use flower essences. (I've heard that if anyone in the family has started to use the essences, it will impact on other family members. Then, if all of the family members use their own prescription of flower essences respectively, what a wonderful outcome could we expect? I assume that there will be much faster evolution of their souls.)

Miss M’s mother’s observations:

As reported at the previous session, Miss M is much calmer now.

She used to talk one-sidedly, and when someone told her to be quiet, she apparently felt hurt as if her existence was denied. However, after taking the essences, she obviously feels less negative even in such situations.

She won the first prize among ten runners of the junior female section of the marathon race, which should have been her least favorite activity. She admitted that she tried hard and won. The teachers told her mother that she looked really happy when she was awarded the prize.

Now she voluntarily does her part of the housework even if she is not told to do so. (Miss M's mother commented that she felt as if they were an ordinary mother and daughter while she was drying the dishes together with Miss M. Her mother confided that she eventually came to realize such a small, day-to-day incident means much in life.)

She continues to be calm at home in the evenings

Yoko’s comments on Miss M

Frankly speaking, Miss M has changed beyond my expectations. I am surprised by the power of the essences, and also feel grateful for that. Even though I had no opportunity to have the counseling sessions directly with Miss M, she responded quickly to the essences that I chose for her on the basis of information that her mother provided. In addition, it was good for her mother too, as her mother went through a series of changes in parallel to Miss M's positive changes.

It is described that "the person with autism is like someone who is living in a foreign country without knowing the local language and is constantly exposed to a sense of insecurity and stresses." Therefore, surrounding people need to work with him/her accordingly. This suggests to me that a person with autism is a “foreigner” who lives in the past. I considered that this case requires flower essences which help physical health and allow acceptance of the material world. In particular, I chose Scarlet Monkeyflower for Miss M, as the essence is helpful for issues of anger and/or power arising from frustration caused by “discommunication” or from stresses under increasing pressure. After ingesting it, she went through dramatic changes. In fact, her mother reported that she responded to ongoing events, stopped causing a commotion at night, quit watching TV program for children, and her smile was no longer artificial. Miss M's mother also commented that it seemed that she was present in the here and now, in the moment. This implies that Miss M is in the process of grounding. Although autism is said to be incurable and it is difficult to expect much, it seems that grounding is her life theme. Thus, I believe that she needs to ingest essences continuously.