Advocate for what you know your body needs

Trust your inner knowing and advocate for what you know works for your body. When you see a practitioner, often they'll have a protocol they use effectively with many patients. Sometimes you may want part of that protocol – but not all. It's difficult to speak up and advocate for what you want because the practitioner is the “expert” whose advice you’re seeking out. Saying "I want A, but I don't want B" may prove challenging. You know you might get pushback.

By way of inspiration, I want to share a personal example of advocating for what you want to happen with your body. I’m seeing with a physiotherapist who has particular expertise in something I'm working on. I find him really skilled and am grateful for his exercise suggestions. The bodywork he does, however, does not work for my body. I tried it twice and concluded that it was not a good fit.

The next time I went in, I told him that I wanted to continue with the exercises, but was going to get the bodywork component elsewhere. At first, he was surprised and tried to convince me that his techniques were better. He explained how he thought they could would work for me. I held my ground and said that I know what my body responds to and, philosophically, his training didn’t align with that. I said it really nicely. I told him what I appreciated about his work with me, and I told him who I would be working with for bodywork and said that he was welcome to make suggestions to them. The other bodywork was completely outside his paradigm and there was an adjustment period for us. Ultimately, though, he agreed and we continue to have a great relationship.

Stand up. Stand up for what you know is true for your body. You know what works – and what doesn’t – for you. Are you able to express what you know is best for your healing? If not, what stands in your way?