One of my patients is a psychiatrist.
I really admire her and know that her patients love her.
Since she has referred several patients to me I realize that some of them have a tumultuous history.
One day I asked her, Doctor, I wonder how you deal with patients who often are self-destructive and who may not even want to come to see you?
Well, she said, I treat the part of them that made the appointment.
I just love that because it is what I also do.
Many people come for treatment with many different issues.
My job is to find and work with the part of them that truly wants to get better.
We call it the Health.
There is a part of you, and it may seem nonexistent some days, that wants to get better, to be happy, to change.
One of my mentors, Jim Jealous, DO, with whom I worked for 15 years, used to come in the room when the patient was laying on the table and shake their feet a bit.
He would just jiggle the feet back and forth.
I asked him, Why do you do that? What are you doing?
I am asking, Is anyone home?, he said.
Indeed.
Is anyone home? Is there anyone here who wants to work and change and get better today?
We know the parts that are pissed, angry, in pain, miserable, and suffering.
So who else is present?
That is whom I work with.
And that is part of how I find a way to help anyone who comes for help.
I treat the part that made the appointment in the first place.