Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1519088
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 ! 85 words. With this woman's husband, caring was represented to her by me diving into the research literature to see if there was something I could do, and then being willing to employ those strategies even when success was doubtful. This brings up the other side of the equation— competence. Caring is incredibly important to positive outcomes, but not to the exclusion of competence. I've heard many clients describe interactions with various health-care providers by saying, "They were really nice, but . . ." Being kind and caring is only part of the equation. In the end, results matter. The caring we extend to others must also be matched with the care and dedication to our craft and the honing of our skills. Our clients deserve nothing less than our full attention. That also means attention to our dedicated efforts to being a great therapist and the hard work that goes into all that is required. It also means full attention to our deepest humanity, serving another person with our whole being. When caring and competence are aligned, few forces in the universe are more powerful. 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. Off and on the rest of the day, I kept thinking about this. The truth is, the results were very impressive because his hiccups did abate shortly after the treatment. And yet, years later, what she remembered was not the results achieved, but something far more meaningful. UNDER OUR CONTROL There is a profound lesson here, one that all of us could employ in our practices. As someone who treats clients with very challenging musculoskeletal issues, achieving stellar results is no easy feat. So many things must go correctly, many more than clients ever realize. Excellent outcomes depend on addressing the right structure, in the right way, for the right reason, for the right amount of time, and in the right frequency. That's a daunting series of clinical decisions with countless variables, and I'm always amazed that predictable results can emerge from such complexity. On the other hand, how we act and approach clients is much more under our control, and there are far fewer variables. The work we do creates the possibility for a deeply human connection—certainly a testament to the power of touch. True connection and caring are often represented in the actions we take, not just the words we speak. Actions truly speak louder than The work we do creates the possibility for a deeply human connection—certainly a testament to the power of touch.