Expert: Heather Vandeburg L.Ac M.S.O.M. dipl.Ac - 7/15/2010

Question
working with the unwilling

Hi, I do have a question I hope you can help me with, perhaps some tips/ideas/opinions.  I am staring a new position where I will be jointly working with therapists, administrators and doctors helping people get better and manage their pain levels.  I was initially asked how I would deal with someone that really didn't want to get better.  I was surprised and unprepared but I have, in the past, worked with people that were skeptical they could get better, but they were not opposed to the idea.  I told them that I try to make the experience pleasant and fun.  That I also try to do things to get them to smile.  Once I can do that I can usually persuade them to give it a try on an ongoing basis so that we have at least tried it and given it a fair shot.  I also suggested that working outside in an open pleasant area, as opposed to medical offices, might be conducive to motivating them to try what we are going to do.  They advised me that these are the kinds of people I'd be working with.  I have 2 questions.  1) do you think my response was good one and methods that can work and, 2) if this is not the best approach what would a positive and constructive approach be to get a person who "does not want to get better" motivated.  I felt that perhaps there were some techniques or ideas you could share/suggest that might help.  It is difficult for me to believe that down deep inside a person can't, somehow, be motivated on at least some small level towards healing and getting better.  Oh, by the way, I am using alternative methods such as Qigong, breathing methods, etc., to compliment the therapy they are currently receiving.  Thank you in advance for your response and your assistance!

Answer
Rick,  I think you have some great ideas. I also have to say that hardest population of people that I have had to work with are people with chronic pain who are on major pain killers. Many of them have made their pain who they are. Especially, if they are on disability. Just getting people better enough to deal with the addiction to pain medication is a huge leap. I think you should throw everything you have at them as far as modalities go. I believe auricular acupuncture can also be beneficial. I find that even if you can start to make small differences such ad more energy or better mood the ones that are able to may be able to have some hope which will make them much better patients.

Good Luck,
Heather Vandeburg LAc MSOM diplAc