I’ve been doing this for a long time, almost 30 years! In this article I want to share an important lesson, one that has taken me many, many years to understand and master.
Hi, I’m Dr. Andrew Arnold (Chiropractor), Chiropractor and Business Coach.
I want to talk about my experiences over and under shooting the mark as a Chiropractor however, I feel you could apply these principals to any modality.
Picture this. You’re a Chiropractor giving a neck adjustment, or a Myotherapist applying needles and cups to a muscle. You can feel resistance and guarding. The patient provides this feedback but still urges you on. Intrinsically you know somethings not right but you’re running behind and maybe seduced by your patients demands.
You keep pushing, succumbing to the ‘more is more’ way of thinking.
The client continues to provide mixed feedback. Eventually you stop however, it’s too late. You strained and sprained the neck soft tissues, inflamed the disc and maybe aggravated nerves. The client is clearly not right. You try to recover the situation by suggesting home advice and you’re running even more behind.
Sure, enough the call comes in. The client calls reception later that day not happy. They’ve been in pain since the visit with you and feel they are worse than ever. And worse still they blame you.
Your argument that you felt pressured by the client to get a result is mute.
Then it escalates. The client demands to talk with you, pressures you to ‘fix’ what ‘you’ did, and for FREE.
Then worse still, they jump on social media. Suddenly you’re staring down the barrel of a one star google and/or Facebook review. They start telling their friends and things snowball.
And all because you thought you were doing the right thing, meeting what you perceived were the patient’s needs.
STOP!
Let’s rewind.
I know you’ve been here, I have and more than once!
So, let’s re-write this story with a far better outcome.
Let’s go back to the client seemingly pushing you for a result. What caused them to think it is YOUR responsibility for THEIR health outcome. The very first 2 visits. That first impression, you’re report of findings…those key few moments when you had the opportunity to enroll the client in you, what you do and how you can help and a realistic prognostic expectation.
If you miss obtaining that critical vote of confidence, it’s downhill. This is where you direct the process, you dictate the plan.
You must control the plan. Why? Because there are too many variables: Presenting problem, patient body type, mental state, previous treatment history, medical history, radiological status, other medical test reports etc.
You control what you do, when, how often, how much force, using which device…NOT THE PATIENT. Sure, you’re get feedback and collaborate but during initial care YOU ARE IN CONTROL. Don’t be seduced or manipulated by those clients who think they know better. IT’S A SET UP!
The experienced practitioner will see the signs early, i.e. that patient who is not buying it! My advice stand your ground. These patients are not going to hang around irrespective of anything so don’t waste your time or risk the above scenario.
Next trust your gut. Follow the path of least resistance. Let me explain. You decide to manually manipulate the cervical spine. You feel resistance. Stop! Try something different. Use an activator or impulse device. If this is too much, move to Network or NET or Tapping. Less is more, and you can’t predict all the possible reactions.
If you’re client has a vote of confidence, they will trust that less really is more. They trust you know exactly what you are doing and that even though they may feel better, worse, same or different, it will always be a positive healing process not an aggravation.
So trust the body’s healing power; trust the modality and tools; trust the process and most of all trust yourself.
Always take the path of least resistance.
About the Author:
Dr. Andrew Arnold (Chiropractor) is a Chiropractor and ACTP Accredited Business Coach.
Founder: Cranbourne Family Chiropractic and Wellness Centreand Million Dollar Wellness
Andrew is married to Dr. Linda Wilson, the Stress Specialist and has two children, Isaac and Bella. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.