POWERFUL therapists skills that encourage CLIENT EMPOWERMENT
As a healer or therapist you want to do the best for your client or student.
You want to help support them, alleviate or dissolve their pain, condition or dis-ease but is that enough?
As humans in our natural egoic state, it is so easy to forget we are not the healer of their dis-ease, the client is. We are simply a tool to help and support the client into a state of receiving or change, whether we do this as a vessel for energy or spiritual healing or by using a skill or technique that encourages the individuals body, mind, emotions and spirit into a state of harmony.
In counselling and psychotherapy their are very clear ethical guidelines and advice on boundaries that help discourage and prevent co-dependency challenges and other possibl unhealthy relationship dynamics that can develop in the client, therapist role. But in many healing and holistic therapy training, this isn't always included or mentioned in any great detail, although in many cases more vital. Remember the 1st rule in any therapeutic role "Do no harm first".
When a client comes to us very unwell or in a state of dis-harmony and or despair, it is so easy for them to see you as their solution to their problems, pain, life or health challenges. Some can look up to you with great expectancy as their HEALER, the miracle worker that will cure them, or this amazing person that will remove all their unhappiness. When actually this simply isn't the case, it is simply about assisting that person back into EMPOWERMENT, ownership, responsibility and self-healing. We may use therapeutic skills to let go of the symptoms but our role is to encourage that person back into their natural state of balance, to encourage them make the necessary life or lifestyle changes to dissolve the cause.
I know, as both a CLIENT and HEALER for over two decades, I saw how easy it is for THERAPISTS or HEALERS to un-intentionally create the potential for co-dependant relationships, by hanging on to clients, students for a multitude of reasons, whilst they should have been encouraging the client towards more self-help skills that develop more self-love, self-reliance, independance and so much more.
5 Important SKILLs that PROFESSIONAL therapists use that support more client EMPOWERMENT, SELF- VALUE and SELF- WORTH is
1. BOUNDARIES: From the start it is vital you set and maintain clear boundaries, BOUNDARIES are their for the protection and benefit of both CLIENT and THERAPIST. Like teacher and pupil, there has to be a clear set of professional boundaries. They aren't your friends coming for a meet up, they are coming for a professional service and as therapists we have to remember the problems with over familiarisation and how this can dis-empower the client.
2. OWNERSHIP: We have to help clients take ownership and reponsibility of their own health, habits, values, beliefs and that is why no 1 Boundaries is vital. As clients don't always want to face or see the truth, lack of boundaries can affect the way the clients views you and take your advice if you become over familiar. Supporting OWNERSHIP helps them take back their self power.
3. EMPOWER not DISEMPOWER: It is important from the beginning of any client interaction, treatment plan, that you make clear that you are not the healer, but the client. It is important that you encourage the client to make the necessary changes, learn new skills.This was one of the reasons I wanted to teach self help therapy skills such as Stress Management, Meditation, Relaxation Therapy and CBT, as I wanted to teach clients how to heal themself, how to value and EMPOWER themself NOT rely on a healer or therapist.
4. AUTHENTICITY: It is important clients are authentic and although we don't have to be superhuman, we have to walk the talk. There is no point teaching or lecturing clients on bad habits we still have not attended ourselves. Have integrity, values and ethics that are in the interest of our clients wellbeing, not just our business. It is important to be honest, respectful, accept and be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses, whilst being you, the inspiration for your clients.
5. REFERRALS: Encouraging your client to move onto other modalities, learn new skills, go to a class helps discourage codependency, helps them move on and build their own self- value and self-worth. If codependency signs are appearing, it maybe time to encourage your client to go to another healer, therapist. Some therapists can be very fearful of referring clients on concerned they are seen as simply are not good enough. When infact the more confident and professional you are, the more likely you will refer on. You have to remember as a healer it isn't about you, it's about the client, their needs come first. Even from the first call, if I think a client would do much better with another therapist for whatever reason, I say so. Of course I only refer onto therapists I am confident or have heard high recommendations of their work.
Eileen Burns, Stress Coach, Healer and Therapists and Trainer of Stress Coach Training teaches professional therapists, healers and coaches powerful relaxation and stress management skills to empower their clients.
