I would not choose to go to a brain surgeon just because they had previously undergone brain surgery…
I find some of the questions that some people ask when contacting our office fascinating. One that I find fascinating,
It goes like this… they ask me “Have you ever had anxiety?
Often, they will be more specific, if the potential new client suffers from panic attacks, they will ask me if I’ve had panic attacks, if from social anxiety, they will ask if I suffered that. No matter what it is, PTSD, OCD, Insomnia, phobias etc
Believe it or not some people actually would prefer to work with someone who has gone through it themselves. Some have chosen not to work with me because I ”could not understand it”.
I imagine how full on and painful my life would have been if I had to have had all of these things just before I could help people.
I know if I needed to have brain surgery, I would not choose to go to a brain surgeon just because she has undergone brain surgery. Nor would that be on my mind!
When I go on a plane, I am doing so because I want to go to a destination, I trust the pilot to take me there. As long as the pilot has a great track record of getting people to the destination safely I am happy.
In my career, I did not always work with Anxiety as my main focus. I started off with more musculoskeletal issues. Common for me was to see clients with back pain, headaches, migraines and neck aches.
I have not needed to have had any of these pains to help the person. I just needed to know what to do to get the person from A to B.
I have understood that the person suffering just wants others to UNDERSTAND what they are going through.. Are they seeking connection, empathy, validation, support, compassion or maybe something else? Many possibilities.
But the one thing they have in common is not focusing on what they need to as the main priority if they want to make change. This needs to happen if they are to get well.
If you’re in a terrible place, it’s not about the practitioner sharing an experience you have both gone through. That’s impossible! As your experience is fully subjective anyway.
What would be a more constructive focus for someone seeking help? – I would rather someone ask me a question like – do you know how to help me to get to where I want to be.
Have I suffered debilitating anxiety – No – but I have helped hundreds of people who have!