I received a gift certificate to a local restaurant worth more than $100 from another MT last week. Why did he do that? To say "thank you".
When I moved to Australia 4.5 years ago (which is also when I started this blog) I referred out all of my clients to other local MTs. I thought long and hard about what clients came to me for and chose a couple of MTs that I thought could "fill in" for me while I was gone.
If you've read this blog for a while you'll know that I did such a good job of picking those "fill in" MTs that very few of my clients returned to me when I came back! Turns out, being closed for a year may mean you get to start over from scratch when you come back.
One of those MTs ended up with one of my favorite weekly clients. In addition to forming a great relationship, it's been profitable for him. Which is why he sent the gift certificate (later than he'd wanted to he said).
I definitely wasn't expecting that. But, wow, what a lovely gesture!
There are those who think you should get paid for every client you refer to another MT. Some think you should be paid in perpetuity. I'm not one of those people. It stung to have very few of my clients return but I was genuinely happy that I'd chosen my successors well.
I'm also genuinely touched that this MT sent this gift. It's much appreciated and I'll do the same if the situation arises for me.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
You Matter, From Beginning To End
About 1-1/2 years ago I joined a family support group. My mother had dementia which was steadily advancing. The assisted living facility offered the monthly group and I have attended regularly, through her death and beyond. This despite the fact that the 1-hour meeting effectively takes 3 hours out of the middle of my day. The group, though quite small, has been good for me.
When I showed up for the January meeting, no one was there. I waited a bit and then went to talk to the front desk. After much hunting on their part and mine we found the small notice that (1) the group was now being led by someone different and (2) it had moved to a different day of the month.
I was angry, disappointed, but mostly I felt betrayed. By offering this group and holding it regularly they'd invited me into a space where I could be vulnerable. Where I could take my hurts and be open about the trials and tribulations of my life.
I'd been preparing myself emotionally for the group, taken the time out of my workday, and driven the 25 miles to get there. Now, I felt abandoned. Insignificant. Tossed aside. And hurt. It hurt.
Not, you'll notice, by anything that happened in the treatment room but by what happened with their scheduling and their communication.
It's easy to think of these things as separate from the "real" work and a minor inconvenience. However, the more someone creates a space where a person can be vulnerable, the more every aspect of the relationship -- including mundane things like logistics and emails -- matters. Every interaction in the relationship becomes part of the therapy.
You've probably figured out where I'm going with this. If not, let me spell it out.
The things you do to "run" your practice, those mundane (even annoying) activities like scheduling and emails are part and parcel of the therapeutic relationship you have with your client. They are all part of you to the client.
You serve your clients best when you apply your highest values and your very best self to what happens in the massage room and what happens outside the massage room. Yes, even your business practices matter.
Because if you are doing your job well, you are creating space for vulnerability and thereby for healing. Do it well -- all of it --and with compassion.
When I showed up for the January meeting, no one was there. I waited a bit and then went to talk to the front desk. After much hunting on their part and mine we found the small notice that (1) the group was now being led by someone different and (2) it had moved to a different day of the month.
I was angry, disappointed, but mostly I felt betrayed. By offering this group and holding it regularly they'd invited me into a space where I could be vulnerable. Where I could take my hurts and be open about the trials and tribulations of my life.
I'd been preparing myself emotionally for the group, taken the time out of my workday, and driven the 25 miles to get there. Now, I felt abandoned. Insignificant. Tossed aside. And hurt. It hurt.
It's easy to think of these things as separate from the "real" work and a minor inconvenience. However, the more someone creates a space where a person can be vulnerable, the more every aspect of the relationship -- including mundane things like logistics and emails -- matters. Every interaction in the relationship becomes part of the therapy.
You've probably figured out where I'm going with this. If not, let me spell it out.
The things you do to "run" your practice, those mundane (even annoying) activities like scheduling and emails are part and parcel of the therapeutic relationship you have with your client. They are all part of you to the client.
You serve your clients best when you apply your highest values and your very best self to what happens in the massage room and what happens outside the massage room. Yes, even your business practices matter.
Because if you are doing your job well, you are creating space for vulnerability and thereby for healing. Do it well -- all of it --and with compassion.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)