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August 5, 2004
Energy Vampires
New clients are always an adventure. Meeting someone new is like opening a present. And if the massage is a first for them, I like to walk them through the experience, explain what to expect, and teach them about their bodies and why they might hurt somewhere (before, during, and after a massage session). I usually leave these sessions with an inner glow that buoys me for the day, having introduced my massage techniques to a new person.
On rare occasions, an encounter with a new client lands with a glorious thud. Whether the chemistry between us is lacking, they got a gift they really didn't want, or they simply cannot relax, there are clients who leave the practitioner drained at the end of the session. Rarer still are perfectly nice people in every way who, no matter how much you put into a massage, their body cues tell you they want more, more, more. I call these clients energy vampires.
What does a body do about folks like that? The moment you feel zapped—or hemmed in, or stressed out—I recommend taking a breath. Breathing is a wonderful way to center yourself.
Setting boundaries is another way of protecting yourself; you draw a line saying, for instance, "This is what I can do for you, and this is what I can't."
I also suggest you step back and think about what type of people aggravate you, because I believe that one law of energy is that we attract what we haven't yet worked out in ourselves.
Based upon the descriptions for grounding suggested above, I may have issues concerning my ability to "fix" people's problems (which is impossible). In this case, it may be appropriate to refer this client to another therapist who does not have this issue. Usually a referral to another therapist is in the best interest of the client. But a scenario like this could create dread or resentment on the part of the therapist, which is not fair to the client.
Posted by linda at August 5, 2004 7:48 AM
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