Beyond Labels and Limits
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be asked to be a teaching assistant at a Paediatric CranioSacral Therapy class in Ireland for the Upledger Institute. The world-renowned Carol McLellan had flown over from California to teach the students, but before those four days of teaching, she had been asked to attend a local children’s hospital to talk more about the benefits of Upledger CranioSacral Therapy and how it could help children with varying degrees of challenge and disability.
Carol shared her way of approaching children’s health with the many Doctors, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists and other support staff that attended. Her concepts had been so profound and well-received that those present committed to rethink the methods and mindset from which they had trained and worked from for many years. As she told us of her experience, I too began to reassess my paradigm and approach.
The title of her lecture was
‘Beyond Labels and Limits’.
When we ‘label’ someone, not only do we distil down the complexity of their inner workings, we often place a limit on what they can do and achieve. Every week at CoreHealth Chiropractic I see miracles happen. Children and adults defy what they have been told is possible and achieve what they once believed would be impossible.
I find this applies to many many many many ‘diagnoses’.
For example, I often have parents ask me if I can treat ‘Autism’. Yes, I have worked with many children over the years who have received this label but the Autistic Spectrum is so wide-ranging in terms of symptom presentation that every child with this diagnosis is different. I am always very honest with patients. I don’t treat ‘Autism’ or ‘Ear Infections’ or ‘Back Pain’ or ‘dizziness’, I work with each person I see, young or old, as they present on that day and at that time. I ‘listen’ to what their body tissues are doing using my hands and work them as their unique self. From there we aim to help their neuro-musculoskeletal system work at its optimum in order to express the innate health they were born to express and with that we often see symptoms improve.
After all, your nervous system controls EVERYTHING in your body!
Another example of why the limits set can be completely incorrect (and sometimes detrimental) lies in Iris’ story. Towards the end of her time at nursery, Iris’ parents were told that she would be unlikely to attend the same school as her big sister due to her balance/co-ordination and challenges with walking. This was mainly because the school had several flights of stairs and it was considered too difficult and unsafe for her.
Fast forward a few months, and Iris is flying through primary one at the same school as her sister, using the stairs unaided and busting through every single limiting belief placed on her. If her parents hadn’t fought to keep the sisters together and we hadn’t been working to strengthen her nerve and muscular system, would Iris have just continued to use her walking support? Would she have taken the lift to class, never trying the stairs and achieving what she has? Would she have had to go to a different school making her feel left out from what her sister was doing?
Our bodies are complex, truly amazing, self-healing miracles. I strive to assess and assist everyone as they are on the day and provide HEALTH care that often takes individuals beyond any labels and limits. We treat the person, not the diagnosis. We feel so strongly about this, that that’s why you’ll find it on our team t-shirts.
Every day I thank Carol for sharing her experience and concept with both that Irish hospital and myself. It has changed my outlook and positively benefited many of my patients in the past, present and for the future.
I invite you to have a think…. What labels and limits do you put on yourself when it comes to your health or perception of yourself?? Are they helpful?? Do they serve you well? Do they promote growth and development?? What would be possible if you let them go??
‘til next time,
Francesca