Understanding my approach
How is it different from other approaches and how it can help you
A treatment starts with a warm welcome in my office!
Key takeaways
Finding a good therapist for your specific needs requires trust, competence, and modesty.
My approach is based on a combination of a science-based and patient based approach.
A session with me will include a discussion, physical tests, prioritization of needs, techniques and exercises for your needs.
Physiotherapist, personal trainer, chiropractor, massage therapist…where to start? In today’s world, it can be overwhelming when it comes to the time to pick and choose the right approach for your specific condition. The truth is, there are as many approaches as they are clients. But wait, how is that of any help?
In a way, it’s great! That means there is someone out there that can answer to your specific needs. On the other hand, that person might be hard to find. Let me detail you how you should choose the right practitioner for you.
What to look for in a practitioner
1. You must trust this person. Client-practitioner relationship is vital for results. If you can trust the person, you are more likely to follow his/her advice and be responsive to the treatment. This relationship must be based on trust in the other for it to grow and persist over time.
2. That person needs to know what they are doing. Too many times, I have clients who come to me, shocked by how their experiences didn’t help at all, or worst, made the pain to increase! Be sure that your choice will lay on someone with experience and a proper education. In all cases, this practitioner’s approach must be based on safety first. You cannot take risk when it comes to help people heal.
3. At last, this person needs to accept his/her limits. All practitioner has their limits, and it is in the client’s best interest to refer if the practitioner feels like the conditions of his clients exceed his capacity. It happens. It is normal.
How does it work with me
To come back to the original topic of this article, let me detail how I work when it comes to taking charge of a new client.
1. My first consultation is always based on 1 thing: knowing you better. In that sense, I will ask you many questions to understand the root of your pain, the potential musculoskeletal dysfunction, but also how does your psychology have adapted to pain. In other words, I need to get a little bit in your head to get as close of that pain sensation you feel, so not only I can better help you heal it, but I can build trust with you. My primary goal is to connect at first with you. This takes 15–20 minutes.
2. After the anamneses (those said questions), I will perform several tests based on joint and structures mobility, quality, and resilience. That means I will be testing to see which part of your body is not able to move properly to allow a healthy range of motion, and which structures are not able to respond to an outside force (compression or separation). When I talk about structures, I mean bones, muscle, ligaments, tendons, joints, organs, fascia, liquid (yes, I can test that), nervous system, lymphatic system, and vascular systems. With my background in osteopathy and kinesiology and over 1000 treatments under my belt, I can assure you, you are in good hands! This takes 15–20 minutes.
3. From those tests, I will establish a list of priorities with you. I want you to be part of the decision of the treatment. I also like to explain the link and reasoning between what I do, so you can better understand the process.
4. At last, comes the techniques aimed at restoring function of those structures. For the first treatment, this last 20 minutes. As the sessions go by, I can spend more time treating.
5. If necessary, as the sessions go by, I might implement a rehab/prehab routine, including key exercises that you will be able to do from home to help you build a resilient body, for life.
6. If at any point, I see that we are not progressing as much as we want to, we will either change strategy, or I will refer you to another professional that can serve you better. The goal is to get better, not to stay a customer forever.
In conclusion
In summary, connecting and choosing a practitioner to help us deal with our pain is a process that requires time and energy. That being said, by being aware of what to look for, you can wisely choose your next professional. By now, you are also aware of how I work and if my approach corresponds to yours. At last, don’t give up if you didn’t find the right person, it might take a few trials and errors to find the right person and approach that suits you.
