Working together
The vast majority
of people
come to me with misperceptions about the body, misperceptions I understand because I used to share them. Unlike cars where there is a clear mechanical cause and no subjective feedback needed, body problems are complex and require an ongoing dialogue to be efficiently and effectively addressed. The same types of symptoms can be entirely different in origin, and therefore treatment, in different bodies and determining what will be effective is a deductive process which takes time, patience, and ongoing subjective feedback from the client.
The Right Fit
shared commitment and great communication
Not every therapist is right for everybody. I like working with all types of people with all sorts of problems, but what is important is that we share a solid commitment to resolving the problem and having thorough communication.
A solid commitment means coming ready for a course of therapy to affect change long-term. While not binding, this commitment sets the stage for addressing the problem holistically as opposed to mere symptom relief, which often stops short and just holds things at bay. Together we determine what will constitute success and completion and move steadily towards that goal.
I have noticed the best results come from good mutual communication.
What this means for the client
- staying present to the work being done
- giving feedback when it feels like I am on key spots and whether they have subsided or if something needs to be adjusted
- paying attention to how you feel after the session and reporting back
What this means for me
- checking in often until we have developed the right level of communication
- listening and responding to what the client is saying and the messages they are receiving from their body
- giving an impersonal way for clients to give feedback of all sorts
Most people want to immediately know what the problem is and would like a straightforward answer, but working with the body is generally not like that. You follow the thread of messages the body gives, starting with the most direct and obvious approach, and navigate from there based on the feedback you receive from the body. Later it may be possible to summarize the issue once the various components have been explored and addressed.
When a person comes in with aches and pains, we need to be sure that our communication is strong. If the problem is not improving, it may mean that it is a referred pain from elsewhere called a trigger point, that we haven't found the pain generator yet, or that it is not coming from the soft tissue at all. The feedback you give is how we navigate between these possibilities. Without that feedback, I may be inadvertently spending time freeing up tight areas that are not directly related to the symptom you are coming in for, which while still beneficial, is not the highest treatment priority