I once heard a comment at a Zero Balancing workshop. A ZB practitioner stated some of their clients didn’t want to get better. My immediate reaction was one of disagreement. I thought, no! If my client isn’t improving, it’s because my touch can be better or I haven’t yet found the key to what they need. Similar situations, different conclusions. I assumed it was me, the practitioner. My ZB colleague assumed it was them, the client. Thinking about this brings up a lot of questions.
I think it’s safe to say that at one time or another, we have all had clients who haven’t improved. We might agree that it’s common to have some discomfort when clients aren’t getting better. People often come to us seeking healing and quite likely we all want to help them to heal. Isn’t that one of the reasons we give ZBs? To help others? So what is our reaction when that healing doesn’t seem to happen, from either their perspective or ours? Who or what needs to change for the outcome to be different? Is it us or them?
If your response is “It’s me”, how does that manifest in your practice? If your client isn’t improving, do you tell yourself something needs to change? If so, what? Do you evaluate or self-assess? Do you consult a colleague or mentor? Do you doubt your skill?
Can it ever be that the client actually doesn’t want to change, even though they say they do?
Does the “It’s me” response show up outside your treatment room in other areas of your life?
If your response is “It’s them”, how does that affect your practice? Does it affect your perception of your client? Do you resent them? Do you keep seeing them? Does it make it hard to hold them in high regard? Can it ever be you that needs to improve?
Does the “It’s them” response show up outside your treatment room in other areas of your life?
Can it be both you and the client? Can it be Zero Balancing?
Can we be in the witness state while determining if it’s us or them?
Have you ever had a client that was not a good match? Have they improved?
Have you ever been the client who is not improving? If so, was it you or was it the practitioner?
Do you ever consider things might be ok just as they are? If so, what makes you feel that way?
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you figure out!