Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1512873
A B M P m e m b e r s ea r n F R E E C E h o u r s by rea d i n g t h i s i s s u e ! 77 where time constraints force me to analyze and address issues quickly. It's also why I'm vigilant about leaving spaces in my schedule for new clients who present with difficult problems that push my skills to the limit and beyond. Those clients are my learning laboratory, and I cherish the opportunity to learn and develop my skills. I've seen several therapists respond to feeling in a rut by learning a completely different approach, which they are excited about. Unfortunately, in many cases, their regular clients aren't as excited about the change. This is understandable since these clients often want the predictable and reproducible experience they have come to know. Consider employing these new strategies with new clients, or slowly introducing them, if appropriate, to regular clients. Creating a practice that is rewarding for therapist and client alike is often a difficult dance, but one that should be carefully designed to have a long and rewarding career. Douglas Nelson is the founder and principal instructor for Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars, president of the 20-therapist clinic BodyWork Associates in Champaign, Illinois, and past president of the Massage Therapy Foundation. His clinic, seminars, and research endeavors explore the science behind this work. Visit pnmt.org or email him at doug@pnmt.org. have initially come for a specific issue are likely to come for more general maintenance sessions. Adding to the experience is the relationship between therapist and client, as we get to know people in a personal way through the context of massage therapy. Clients look forward to their experience and enjoy the regular connection. Quite often, there is a sweet spot in your career when you have regular clients and still have time to see new people who present with challenges that push your skills. The clients who present with difficult musculoskeletal issues are the clients who teach you the most. When your go-to strategy doesn't work, that's when the learning begins. When you successfully address a client's presenting needs, it's wonderful for them, but you haven't learned anything new. I recently heard an interview with the late Kobe Bryant, discussing his learning strategy when he was a freshman in high school. Observing his peers, he noticed that everyone tended to play to their strengths. Since they played so often, he decided to only play to his weaknesses. If he didn't dribble well with his left hand, he played games where that's all he did. Over time, well, we all know how successful of a professional he became. A few days before writing this, I had my own experience with a limitation leading to creativity and learning. I fell off my bike and sprained my left wrist. The only movement that hurt was ulnar deviation. After a day of rest, I worried how I would see a full schedule of clients the next day. At that point I decided to explore seeing clients without ulnar deviating my left wrist. The day was a rich exploration of keeping my wrist in a neutral position, which I did. Really, keeping it in a neutral position is where it should be anyway, so now I'm probably using better mechanics than before the injury. Several clients that day remarked on how locked-in and focused I seemed to be. Little did they know why. It was a great day in the clinic. This experience matches what experts tell us about falling into a rut when creativity is lacking. It's paradoxical, but limitations spark creativity, not the removal of constraints. This is one reason I love shorter sessions, It's paradoxical, but limitations spark creativity, not the removal of constraints.