Your initial session
When I meet a new client I first determine why they have come, what medical conditions they have, what physically restrictions they have and what they are hoping to get out of the experience.
I then have 3 main ways of working that I use depending on what I think will be most useful:
- Working with an activity that the client has a particular interest in,
- Working basic postural support, breathing and awareness in sitting, standing and bending,
- Working with the client physically resting on a massage table or the floor (constructive rest).
In all modes of working I am observing how the client is moving, providing verbal feedback about what I am observing, physical feedback via skilled used of my hands. I also ask questions about what the client is thinking and experiencing as well as providing anatomical information where appropriate.
The main thing that I want to achieve in this first session is for the client to have a better understanding of their habitual way of using their muscles and for them to be able to make substantive conscious changes to this muscle use. This might sound simple but the strength of habit for most people makes this sort of change quite difficult and the experience is often quite surprising.