Hi Everyone, this is what I wrote on my log. Would appreciate your comments and thoughts about how I did as well as what I could've done differently. Thank you!
This was very interesting. Her second Somatics session with me. First one a few weeks ago, Lesson 1.
She came in today with shoulders very sore. She's a Yoga teacher who always over does it. This time, doing handstand, now shoulders are hurting her badly.
Her posture showed lower right shoulder, I couldn't tell too much by palpating, most of her pain is generally right side and the initial movement on back where we push their foot showed less movement on right side, hip through shoulder. To her it felt like left side was tighter.
She's been getting a lot of trigger point therapy and wants to go to a more advanced practitioner.
I wasn't totally clear on which protocol to use, so I went with 2 because it looked like Trauma. Because of her shoulder pain, I did my best to do lat release and then oblique work without her arm involved. Wasn't too successful, lots of amnesia, which she wasn't understanding, just said she felt weak. Then she started to understand. I ended up doing Red light with her, we just got through the arms, both sides separately and then both together, never got to her legs. I also didn't do any QRs with her with Lesson 2, felt it wasn't appropriate.
I'm submitting this as a Lesson 3.
When there's someone with so much pain like that, I feel I could've modified it more. Any suggestions for moving forward with her? She's going to come to my Somatics class that starts next week, so wants to wait until after those are over before taking another private.
There are 5 Comments
re: Trouble with client and pain, would like some feedback
My first, albeit perhaps simplified, reaction is to perhaps go with more kinetic mirroring to start. I had a client/friend who really didn't respond that positively a few years back, and I decided, per her situation and sensitivity, etc., that she might respond better to kinetic mirroring and doing more self-pandiculations/home exercises for a while (kind of prepping her ... including tactfully discussing some of the ways she's using her body on a regular basis and how they might/might not relate to Somatics). Then a more standard protocol might be employed. I feel that some degree of compliance (per the general philosophy) is necessary for Somatics to really work. Hope that makes sense. I might be able to come up with more for you later ...
~Katherine
Thanks, Katherine. Makes
Thanks, Katherine. Makes sense. My belly gets tight because I have to consider now how to KM some of these areas. I'm going to give it more thought.
Nancy
keep us posted
May your belly release comfortably ;) ... and do keep us posted! I'll read your post again to see if anything else comes up.
re: Trouble with client and pain, would like some feedback
Yes, I agree with the idea of KM for this client right now - especially since you're saying, Nancy, that she tends to overdo things. Even self-pandiculation could be challenging for her, with the tendency you describe, until she understands and has experienced the value of gentler, and "less is more". The other thing that stood out for me was the mention of the Trigger Point therapy. I'm guessing that it could be hurting her more than helping her. It's a delicate issue, and ultimately her choice, but one can suggest that she not do it concurrently with the work she's doing with you. Yes, keep us posted.
Thanks, Patience. She is
Thanks, Patience. She is always trying "something" and I do have to watch making her wrong. I've been working with her for a while, she gets better then pushes herself. She's in denial quite a bit about what's really going on.
So, KM it is.
She also signed up for my Somatics 5 week class that starts next week. I'll keep an eye on her so she's not pushing it.
