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TABLE LESSONS best practices Skepticism, Painfully Earned By Douglas Nelson "Realistically, outcomes in complicated cases are not predictable. How can you be honest and still engender confidence in such cases? "I have often emphasized to my students the importance of laying out a clear path forward for new clients. As audacious as it sounds, I don't ever remember a new client choosing not to follow the plan. Until perhaps last week." This was a statement I was making to my friend Marc, an exceptional attorney and a person I deeply admire for his wisdom and thoughtfulness. I find many parallels in our work; we are both problem-solvers, just in different disciplines. We were talking about the importance of 28 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k m a y / j u n e 2 0 1 9 communication after he read one of my recent Table Lessons columns ("Vulnerability," January/February 2019, page 28). "Why don't you think this person will decide to pursue treatment?" Marc asked. I'm sure there was a long break before my answer, as I was completely lost in thought, reliving the meeting in my head. The client in question was a young woman of high- school age, an intelligent young lady with penetrating eyes, a pleasant smile, and yet a deep sadness about her. Her mother accompanied her to the appointment, a woman who clearly loved her daughter, but whose face belied a parent who had experienced far too much pain and disappointment.