Doing Nothing

I just finished four days of assisting at craniosacral therapy seminar called somatoemotional release one (SER 1). As always, it was exciting to review and get new perspectives on various techniques and philosophies. It was also nice to share in the energy as students explored deep levels of healing and self-awareness. Everyone is always a little different after a class like this. One of the primary principles of CST and SER is the emphasis on doing nothing. This is one of the hardest things to learn as a healer and facilitator. Some training programs that I've encountered spend years helping their students to get comfortable with doing nothing. By "doing nothing", I mean being totally present with the client AND letting go of the notion that the therapist is responsible for fixing or changing him or her. Refusing to take on that responsibility has profound effects on the therapeutic relationship. Trying to fix someone triggers their defense mechanisms and makes it easy for them to avoid the work needed to heal themselves. Not only does it prevent growth and healing, it allows the client to put the blame on the therapist. "If only I had gone to a chiropractor instead of a craniosacral therapist, I'd be well by now!" If we live the concepts of personal responsibility, creating our own reality and healing ourselves, we will teach by example. Our language and our actions can be the most powerful tools for healing in our entire repertoire. Then, more of our clients (and everyone else around us) will start to get well and stay well.
So will we.
Randall