Massage & Bodywork

JULY | AUGUST 2022

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Where is Curiosity? The Learning Journey By Douglas Nelson essential skills | TABLE LESSONS 86 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k j u l y/a u g u s t 2 0 2 2 "I'm sorry, what did you say?" As soon as that came out of my mouth, I felt a little embarrassed at my tone of voice. At the same time, I could not hide the incredulousness I felt. My new client came to see me at the recommendation of another therapist and was relating her long struggle with costochondritis, which is a painful condition regarding chest pain. My client was extremely articulate and knowledgeable about her condition, and as she sat in front of me, she recounted her difficult journey through the health-care system. She had first experienced a bout of pain about seven years ago, coming on completely unexpectedly. Initial visits to her doctor ruled out any life-threatening cause, but the pain not only continued, but increased. As it began to seriously affect her daily life, she sought out more health-care providers in multiple disciplines, looking for clarity as to the cause of her pain and ideas about the path forward. The list of places from which she sought help was impressive, yet none provided any clear direction. At one point, she stated, "About year number four, I met a physician who showed an interest in my case." "I'm sorry, what did you say?" was my immediate and probably inappropriate response. She looked at me with a resolute smile. "Yes, I know what I'm saying," she answered. "This person was interested enough to say he did not know the answers to my questions but would spend time exploring and researching my symptoms. After the diagnosis of costochondritis was established, most doctors said the symptoms would resolve on their own. But as time went on, no one could explain why the pain continued or what I could do to help myself. This doctor was refreshing, and it started with him admitting he did not know, but then he took the time to explore it further. With my own engineering background, which is steeped in

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