I think there may be some who are reluctant to try kinesiology as you're unsure what kinesiology is, what in fact happens during a treatment consultation and how it can improve your mental and physical health. In my previous article I explained how kinesiology could get you 'unstuck' or how kinesiology can enable change to happen. I feel it's helpful to fully explore the two options I mentioned when we begin our treatment journey together. Either choosing a 'goal' or discovering the most urgent change you need to explore.
The two options, a conscious goal that you set, or a subconscious direction discovered by kinesiology feedback. The common outcome is to enable change, change the actions you make or changes in thoughts or emotions. Today I'll discuss the first option that gives you the opportunity to think about changes you'd like to make.
What Shall I Ask My Therapist?
When you visit a therapist you have a reason for that visit. It could be a referral or a decision you made for health issue or problem that you'd like to solve. Perhaps you may even want the therapist to do the solving? More on that later.
One way of describing your decision is to create a "goal" or an "aim".
o I want to get a better night's sleep.
o I want to lose weight.
o I want to be pain free.
Let's Get Interactive - What Changes Would You Make?
To make this blog more interesting and interactive I'd like you to pause reading, grab a pen and paper. Think of changes you'd like to make, mentally, physically, emotionally or even in your social life and write them down - all of them or just one that's forefront of your mind. Write a list of your wants or wishes. If you're not in place suitably armed with a pen and paper, make a virtual list in your head. And then answer these following questions:
"Do they need to be put in order?"
"Are some are more important than others?"
"If one or two then it might be an idea to bring them to me or another kinesiologist?"
Goals for Kinesiology Treatement
Let's go back to the original list of 'wants' above. (Keep your list to edit later when you've learnt more)
Kinesiologists like to frame goals in a positive way, instead of just a wish, want or hope for? Let's make a change to those three above.
o I get a great night's sleep.
o I've lost lots of weight.
o I am pain-free!
This last list of statements is often a very big hurdle; we sometimes have a few giggles, tears or admit, yes, that's what I really want but it's impossible! In fact quite a lot of people find moving to these positive goals a real challenge often because they are really stuck, not just in their negative thoughts but have experienced so many failures before they've found me.
Okay, kinesiology isn't a magic wand. I understand this and over the years of practice I realise changing thoughts is one of our biggest challenges. Changing thoughts can often take more effort and energy than changing actions. I'd like to help you with this step, because if you've had chronic pain for 10 or more years or you've tried to lose weight over many years with many diets and generally ended up putting on more weight.
You need to think, somewhat outside the square. Imagine what would life be like if you were pain free. How would you feel; what would you be doing differently? The goal you set needs to be open-ended to allow your body to decide or to discover what steps are needed during each treatment session. Without a holistic goal you or the kinesiologist are trying to direct the body in a certain direction. As I discussed in the previous article, your body knows the direction it wants to go to achieve the goal.
Now for those three goals above, using a little bit of imagination because we don't know what a person's situation could be.
I Need A Good Night's Sleep
Let's look at the first example getting a good night's sleep. If you don't get a good nights sleep what will be the outcome?
o you're going to be tired,
o you're going to be low on energy
o your concentration will not be at its best
o neither will your memory.
So perhaps you're going to a seminar or you're doing study so a more holistic goal would be-
"I had heaps of energy and had a great interactive seminar."
"I have so much energy my day went really well and I got two new clients." (again lets consider the salesperson from the last blog).
"Or it might be something like I had really great day out at the beach with my children." (again it's that energy and focus particularly if it's small children, you'll need it).
I'll leave you, the reader, to think about the second goal of losing weight. If you had lost weight, how would life be different, how would you feel different and what would you be doing differently?
Our Final Example - I Am Pain-Free
I'd like to take an extended look at the final goal about being pain-free. This is a difficult one; clients who have been in chronic pain have lost so much of their life they have trouble finding and developing a holistic goal. And as I said above Kinesiologists don't have a magic wand to wave away chronic pain.
To illustrate how goals for treatment can de developed during our initial discussion, I'll use the story of a client. This story is helpful to understand the idea of finding a holistic goal to direct treatment. I call it the story of the red shoes.
Jean, I Just Want To Wear My Red Shoes Again.
This lady was an early 50s she'd had a painful back for a number of years and as a result there were a number of major changes in her life.
o She had to wear flat shoes; otherwise her back would be unbearably painful.
o She also found that wearing comfortable unfashionable clothes seemed easier.
o She was still working but by the end of the day was exhausted and in so much pain there was no way that she was able to go out and be sociable.
o She had refused so many invitations from friends, that they no longer invited her to social events.
o She was now incredibly unhappy and lonely
After spending some time putting together her pain story (I have often spoken of the usefulness of finding your pain story-perhaps recording it all, writing it down) we had a discussion to try and find a holistic goal that would be inclusive of the five wishes above. This is where the red shoes came from. If she was able to wear her red shoes, she was wearing high heels and of course if you've got lovely red shiny shoes you will need clothes to match. If you're all dressed up with your red shiny shoes and your lovely dress the next thing you will do is go out and have fun with your friends!
When we put this goal into place and began treatment her body could direct what was needed to be able to go out and have fun - a complete holistic wish!
What Do You Want To Change In Your Life?
Before I finish I'd suggest you revisit your list you made of some of your health wishes, life wishes or whatever change that you would like to make. And then "Red Shoe Them!" You could find you have made some interesting discoveries as this process is putting your first step on the road to making a change - however small.
This step of formulating a goal can often take the first consultation; sometimes it runs into the second. With this review of your thoughts, the process, the decisions and history you are revisiting; you are already beginning that road to make changes.
If you'd like company on that road I have a practice in New Zealand, Christchurch, which at the moment is the most amazingly, beautiful, colourful garden city. For those people not in Christchurch or perhaps not in New Zealand we can always meet online.
My clinic room is located in 50 Plus Fitness studio in Riccarton.
The information in this article is general in nature and in no way diagnoses any illness.
Jean Jordan is a naturopath, kinesiologist who has been practising in both Perth, Western Australia and Christchurch, New Zealand.
She also has an online chronic pain clinic Natural Pain Solutions, with a natural treatment philosophy and offers an individual treatment programme Pain-Less Journey.
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