Invest in making your body self-correcting and the dividends will pay off for years.
Here is an example: Arnold (not his real name) started seeing me in his mid 50s. He is a tall, soft-spoken investment counselor.
When he first came in, he had a low back problem that really bothered him. His neck bothered him too. He has had a number of problems over the years. Sometimes he would injure himself cycling. One time he even fell and hit his head. But for most of his visits, he just wanted to make his day-to-day life more comfortable. Maybe he would complain about a little tension in his neck while seated or how his back was a little stiff in the morning.
Over time, he has noticed how integrative therapy makes his body self-correcting. Last month, he had a problem with his right foot. I worked on his craniosacral system as well as some direct work on his leg and foot. After that, he noticed that when his foot bothered him, it was only for a short while before it mysteriously fixed itself.
This is the work that the aging body needs. Gentle joint work that treats the underlying causes of pain and stiffness. Therapy that is focused on finessing in the housing of the central nervous system: the pelvis, cranium and spine. Work that changes the balance of the central core so that the entire body is a smoother moving, more self-correcting system. It makes all the other exercises and therapies easier, longer lasting and more effective. More than that, it makes the activities of daily living easier and more joyful.
Arnold is now in his 70s. We still see each other almost every week for an hour. He has noticed at family gatherings that he is getting taller and stronger while his cousins are getting shorter and more debilitated. This investment of his is paying off.
People usually start seeing me because they need me to put out a fire. There is some real satisfaction in getting rid of a headache that has been there for years or helping a delayed child to speak for the first time. Some of those clients become “investors” and continue coming. I admire their commitment to improving the quality of life. Often, we laugh and talk about our families and friends. Sometimes we work in peaceful silence. But, they walk out with the real dividend: a better physical quality of life.
I have seen more than half my clients for more than 5 years. This week, I worked on a client that I have seen since 1994. It is like spending the day helping old friends. It’s a great job.
Tony Preston has a practice in Atlanta, Georgia where he sees clients.
He has written and taught about anatomy, trigger points and cranial therapies since the mid-90s.
Question? Comment? Typo?
The Body Guild.org
(404) 226-1363
tony@thebodyguild.org
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