When someone decides it is time to schedule a massage, rarely is it part of their self-care routine.
Much more commonly, it is because some sort of discomfort is adversely affecting their activities of daily living. Whether that something is physically, sensorially, or emotionally manifested–it is causing some degree of “pain”.
Sometimes I find that clients do not want to talk about what may be causing their bodies’ discomfort–they would prefer that I just figure it out on my own. They will tell me that they “trust my intuition”.
I can not tell a lie.
Being perceived as one who is able to tap in to my intuition has been received as a huge compliment. It has padded my ego and made me believe that somewhere within me may beat the heart of a healer—
This “trust” has enabled me to give myself permission to just lean into whatever I feel and to work more free-form than I have ever been allowed in my lifetime. Even though it may just be a catch-phrase used by clients when they don’t feel like filling out their intake completely.
The cynical-clinical me evolved
over many moons.
It was absolutely necessary in order to survive my nursing career without a malpractice lawsuit. It has diminished somewhat, but will never truly become extinct because I love to connect the pixels masquerading as benign details of my clients’ lives too much. It helps me see the bigger, beautiful picture. And it is an integral aspect of my intuition.
But–again–sometimes people do not want to be reminded of all their aches, pains, medical diagnoses, medications, poor health habits, ways in which they may personally exacerbate their own symptoms, etc. —let alone have this information documented. Because that makes it real. They want to block out reality for a moment in time and just…
R e l a x.
I know—because I, too, am well-versed at practicing avoidance. I find it much easier to pour my energy into other people seven days a week than to acknowledge or confront myself. I am working on that. This message is me– working on that.
Show of hands: How many people actually like confrontation?
That might not be a fair question. A person could be confronted with anything, really–a surprise party, a subpoena, spinach between their teeth, the truth, darkness…
It has been taught
that some of the most attuned therapists are blind.
Keeping my eyes closed is natural and seems to be the only unbiased way to collect data through my hands—to then be visualized in my mind.
Even though I can conjure images through palpation, they are still sometimes difficult for me to articulate.
But when I take this information and am able to measure it against my clients’ history and their reason for choosing to confront their pain—it sets everything in motion: validation; cause for further analysis; care plan implementation.
Less woo woo. More real.
So, if you really want your therapist’s intuition to flourish during your next bodywork session, share those details—be unabashedly open the next time you are greeted with that email that asks you to complete your intake or express the reason for your visit.
Then, rightfully, expect great things.