A charming gentleman came into my practice the other day. Charming, but frustrated with his healing process and rather disconnected from what was going on in his body.
I could understand his frustration. He'd been injured two years ago and was still dealing with more pain than he wanted, despite having tried a number of different therapies that he'd hoped would help. If I'd been in that situation, I would have been frustrated, too.
By now, he'd kind of "checked out" of his body. I'd ask him if an area was sensitive and he didn't know. I'd ask if he'd noticed any change after his previous treatment and he didn't know that either. He seemed rather detached from the whole process, as though what happened in the treatment room that day was more up to me than up to him.
My experience leads me to strongly suspect that that isn't so. That instead, what happens in the treatment room is the result of a synergy between the patient or client and the therapist. [In fact, there's research to back me up - to learn more, check out The Heart & Soul of Change.]
After talking with the gentleman for a bit and reflecting on his case, it appeared that he had a bit of a mis-match going on in his mind. We talked about it. One minute he'd be telling me that he figured that after 2 years, his situation was hopeless. If his body hadn't healed by now, he must have done irrepairable damage. A moment later he'd be saying that he thought his body should just heal itself.
Here he was "ping-ponging" between two opposite, non-productive extremes of thinking. Either it was hopeless or it should simply disappear as if by magic. I see this "ping-ponging" as a form of mental chaos. This case is an example of how failing to recognize the first of 6 Wellness Opportunities presented in the health guide Transform Stress Into Power can interfere with an otherwise well-intentioned person's healing process.
Where's the middle ground? Intervention. The middle ground between "hopelessly and permanently damaged" and expecting the problem to miraculously disappear is finding someone with the expertise to help you. This can be a frustrating process, because no one type of expertise (in this case therapy) is best for everyone. But before giving up, why not look around?
It sounds like a reasonable idea. Actually, I'd venture that it is a reasonable idea. But it can only be reasonably pursued after the mental chaos clears and the patient, or his advocate, sees things clearly.
Have a healthy one-
Elizabeth
