Can The Practitioner Be The Patient?
Posted on September 9, 2008 by Yael
At the end of August, I went on a short, well over-due vacation along with my husband, just the two of us.
We went to a spa resort here in Israel, which spoils you rotten.
Exactly what we wanted. Some peace and quiet.
We were there for 3 days.
If you could see the out-door pool which is in the middle of a forest, you’d understand about the silence there is in this place, how life can be so relaxing and quiet…. amazing.
In the past, if someone would tell me “take 3 days off”, I’d laugh- 3 days? That’s nothing!
But now that I’m a mommy, I think “3 days?? That’s eternity!”
So our boy went to his grandparents for the weekend and we headed up north.
As it is a spa resort, I booked myself a treatment- the Ayurveda treatment, with hot sesame oil dripping on the forehead…. that’s almost a spiritual experience.
I was told to wait at the lobby at 15:00, and indeed, at 15:00 came the practitioner, and invited me to the room.
Healing a healer
It’s been a few years now that I’m suspecting that the fact that I studied Chinese Medicine, and a year of Shiatsu, this fact is in my way when I am the patient.
When it comes to acupuncture, this is not a problem. I have a healer that is my mentor in many ways, and my knowledge doesn’t stand in my way.
When it comes to Shiatsu, Ayurveda, massage and so on- I think I have lost my ability to enjoy the treatment 100%.
I don’t regret my studies, of course not, but I think I’m paying a price for being “in the business” of complimentary medicine.
Is she pressing too hard or too light?
Didn’t he just pressed my spine??
Why does the oil bottle making so much noise?
Does the practitioner has to come to work when she has the sniffle and uses tissue most of the treatment?
My practitioner was very sensitive.
She had a very tender touch, I liked how she introduced the Ayurveda in few words, I could feel she knew what she was doing. The treatment felt good.
But I still got out of the room feeling that I will never be able to receive a treatment and enjoy it without thinking about it.
Even if I am able to switch the knowledge off during the treatment, the minute it’s over, everything gets reviewed in my mind.
The good and the bad about this thing
The bad is obvious- I am finding it very difficult to enjoy a treatment.
Granted I have 2 practitioners I can go to who will give me the best Shiatsu and Tuina I can think of, but otherwise, what happened in the spa resort will happen anywhere else.
On the bright side- I think my knowledge helps me find the most sensitive practitioners.
It also helps me understand where my limits are, when something is too much, and it also allows me to speak without feeling un-easy, knowing that the patient should always say when something doesn’t feel right.
So maybe this isn’t such a bad thing?
Over to you
Do you feel the same as I do? Do you think something completely different?
I would love to hear your thoughts, leave a comment.
Categories: General notes, Personal notes, Practitioners notes, Students notes
Hi Yael,
I am very interested in this specific subject, even thought of writing my own article on it in my website (hebrew) http://www.amitai-clinic.com.
Great post.
I have the same experience, too. I think we learn to observe in a more critical way and, because we are in the business, have a wider vocabulary to describe when something is not right. It’s a good thing on the one hand but I can see the need for the patient/client who works as a healer during the day to find ways to express themselves in a way that doesn’t put off the person working on them!
I was in Hawaii last year and was treated to a massage at the end of the day. First: I knew that since I was getting this woman at the end of the day, she’d likely be tired and not “on,” and might possibly attempt to compensate in some way. It was the worst massage I’ve ever had! And there was that voice inside that made me want to say “You are NOT supposed to apply pressure on bony processes! What are you DOING?!”
Anyway it’s always a good opportunity to hone your own skills and consider the exact same criticisms when you’re on the other end of the equation.
Also, healer or not, you may just be a little more sensitive than other people
I know people not in the alternative medicine business who are extremely sensitive to any kind of stimuli that isn’t part of their ideal treatment gestalt.
p.s. Glad you got a vacation in darlin’!