using pain science education, stories, metaphors, and patient examples to decrease perceived threat

empowering them with their own self assessment and treatment strategies

using treatments that are non threatening

instructing that the improvements from these treatments are transient



the self treatments will keep the improvement going

having a very positive encounter with very selective choice of words

being transparent in terms of healing time frame

2-4 visits for rapid responders



3-6 months for slow responders (frozen shoulder, post surgery, etc)



may be over one year for true central sensitization, function improving over pain









Present it to every patient that you will help them achieve their full potential by enabling them to fix themselves. I have recently been blogging and teaching about the importance of variability. Other than various movement and hands on based treatments that are variable, the biggest variance from what the patient normally sees and hears is a positive encounter that gives them hope.





Keeping it Eclectic....

It's a problem in our society that everyone wants a quick fix. I regularly tell patients that any quick improvement they see from some magic hands technique has also has a quick reversal. I would say the average well meaning clinician wants to "fix" a patient, but this is looking at it the wrong way. We do not "fix" anyone, as any manual technique, corrective exercise, or repeated loading strategy we do in the clinic will have temporary effects. How you should view the encounter is by maximizing the patient's potential for healing, movement, and overall wellness in body and mind. I go about this by