I have been in practice for over forty years, and during those years I developed the name ‘body tuning’ to describe both the philosophy behind my work and the actual art of treating the body as if it were a delicate but out of tune instrument. I have spoken and written about it, articles have been written about my work and me. Physicians and prospective patients can research my background and training so as to feel comfortable recommending me or becoming my patient. Gratefully, I have a following of patients who value the work I do because they have trusted my expertise and experience and have been successfully treated for their particular problems. Over the years, the same patients return with varying complaints, knowing that they and I have been good partners in their healing before and will be again.
If a patient comes to me and asks for a massage. Or they give me a prescription from their doctor for a particular and specific kind of treatment; for instance, let us say, the doctor wants the patient to have 6 ultra sound treatments and exercises to strengthen the knee. What I tell the patient is that they do not need what I have to offer and refer them to other physical therapists for those treatments.
What I do best is problem solving…often difficult problems within the body. I see many patients who have seen five or more therapists before they come to me and they have not been helped. They are frustrated and sometimes despairing of ever getting help. They literally put themselves in my hands and we work together, sometimes over a long period of time, and as they begin to finally feel better their trust is rewarded.
My work, my patients and their physical complaints form a kind of triangle. We work together to restore maximum function and physical well-being. If I find, after a goodly number of treatments, that something else needs to be added, I will refer my patient to a physician or sometimes a therapist if depression is involved.
Sometimes a patient tells me they don’t want this or that treatment, even though I know the treatment they don’t wish is the one that will lead to their recovery. But, I never do what they do not wish me to do. Sometimes they don’t like the fact that there is often some pain associated with the treatment. Even though I explain that this is good pain and often a necessary part of what is happening to resolve their problem, and that it will go away, they don’t want to continue that particular treatment. What often occurs is that the patient, unwilling to accept my experience with their problem and what their body needs to heal, does not respond and I tell them I can no longer treat them. A better response from the patient would have been to trust that I know more than they do and to give me the opportunity to help them the way I know I can.
Not everyone needs the work I do. Not everyone wants what I have to offer. And that is fine. But, here’s the thing; no matter what professional you choose, if you do your research, as you should, and find a person with expertise and integrity, then you need to listen to that professional and not dictate the treatment yourself. If you are with an experienced practitioner that person is supposed to know more than what you know. If you trust the treatment and the professional, your results will come faster and you will get the relief you have been after.