On a recent trip to Switzerland I was reminded of the principle of “only do what is necessary” and not to allow your desire to give extra value to get in the way of good therapy.
While in Switzerland a physiotherapist client of mine in Australia asked if I would have a look at one of her old clients. The client lived in Germany, had Multiple Sclerosis for about 30 years and had become very depressed. I reluctantly agreed to see him in Zurich after teaching Modules 1,2 & 3.
The man arrived at 5pm. He was middle aged, slender, moved with great difficulty and was supported by two canes. His daughter accompanied him and performed the introductions. She spoke only broken English and we had no translator. She explained that they had travelled 5 hours by car with little rest and were both tired. He spoke no English and I spoke no German so treatment would depend on the body’s response without suggestive positive words.
There were still about 15 people who had attended the seminar observing as I began my treatment. I performed some moves, the core of these the practitioners observing knew as they had just been taught during the previous days plus two special practitioner moves.
Within seven minutes we had gained a fabulous result. The man stood up with only a little assistance from one stick. He felt great and was able to move with greater ease - then my desire to give more stepped in.
I felt that I should provide added benefit to the man since he had travelled such a long way to receive only 7 minutes. I added one extra move to address something else I had noticed. Like a house of cards the man came crumbling down. A great reminder to me that it is the outcome and client experience which is important – not time taken or my need to give extra value.
I was fortunate and able to re-do the sequence in 4 minutes -- this time stopping at the best result for him. It felt wonderful to see gratitude in both the man and his daughter.
The man contacted me 3 weeks later to ask if I could see him again as he had great improvement and wished for another treatment. This time I was in Northern Germany and again this would be a 5hour trip for him. The results were just as astounding and he agreed to be questioned by the group of practitioners who had watched me work.
He was asked to tell his story to the group who had witnessed his changes and this is how it was translated to me.
He put out his right hand and told of how, prior to the first treatment, he spent his life in the hand of death, preparing for what he felt was his impending future. He then moved his hand directly in front of himself and said that the initial treatment had taken him to a place in the present or the ‘now’. He reported how he had a new life, better movement, better attitude and with no more thoughts of ending his life.
Finally, he stretched out his left hand and looked at it for a moment. He told of how he now felt he could live in the hand of the future, he felt the treatment had given him back ‘life’ and he could now ‘plan’ to live.
The greatest lesson from this experience - it is the result (not the time spent or the number of moves) that is important for the client.
Work with care.
Ross Emmett
December 2009