This is like therapy. Is this like therapy?

For almost a year now, I’ve been doing more telemedicine visits that I ever have in my career. I’ve even been working with a couple of patients who are living in Singapore! My distance clients are definitely suffering primarily from stress, and are not primarily in need of a manual adjustment from me. During the visits, of course, we’re talking. It kind of seems like therapy. But I’m not a psychotherapist, and I would never call it psychotherapy. In fact, it’s not. Even though the outcome might feel the same - the patient feels a sense of relief, reduced, stress, etc. - what’s the difference?

The difference is, as a chiropractor, I’m focused on the nervous system and the body. From my perspective, emotions are inextricably tied to the physiology, and that’s where we’re starting! By observing and keying into physical signs and symptoms, we follow the breadcrumb trail left by the body until we get to the source of the problem, and we untangle it. A telemedicine visit with me is different from a telemedicine visit with a psychotherapist because with me, we’re focusing on body clues - breathing, muscle tension, postural tension, pain, etc. - while identifying and reducing the emotional components that are affecting those things.

Because of my 23 years in clinical practice, I am also bringing to the table perspective and insight that go deeper into some of the physical causes that may be aggravating the stress response that the client is experiencing.

This physiological based approach is a godsend for people who know that they are under stress, are feeling it, but struggle with talking about it and find traditional psychotherapy to be a chore. As a 5 on the Enneagram, I am one of those people! In the past, when I have tried psychotherapy, I used to constantly glance at the clock and spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about what I was “supposed to say.” In my head, I struggle to connect with what I am feeling or what to say about it! But when I was introduced to different body-based approaches to accessing and releasing emotional stress, it was much easier for me, because I could follow the clues left by the body and go from there. Following the clues of the body, it’s also clear when the work is “done.” Am I breathing easier? Are my shoulders relaxed? Is the pain subsiding?

So, yes, in that way, it’s like therapy.