Sometimes we hurt in ways that we either cannot express or are not at liberty to share. I hope each of you has at least one person in your life who can just look at you and know if you are OK or not. Even better if the details of your distress are not an issue for them and they can support you in silence, or with a kind word and gentle hand.
As body workers, we often don't need to know the details of the trouble to be able to support our clients through them. Unfortunately we may be the only ones in their lives who touch them, both physically and energetically in a supportive and loving manner without our own specific agenda (beyond alleviating their pain). Everyone hurts sometimes, but not everyone wants to share the back story. Assuming our clients are fine because they have managed to put a smile on their face and are not greeting us at the door with their tales of woe can be shortsighted. At the same time, assuming everyone is in pain and taking it on as our job to pull it out of them come hell or high water is not exactly the best path either.
Remembering that what we are shown on the outside may be only part of the story is crucial. Paying attention to their bodies and how our clients are holding themselves and how their bodies feel under our hands can all be clues to what is really going on. These things can help us make decisions that might be beneficial. But at the end of the day, coming back to holding that space is always the best choice, because it takes our own egos out of the mix. It reminds us that we are there to support, to allow, to leave an opportunity for expansion, whether it's a tight muscle or a heavy heart. Sometimes the details are irrelevant.
When we can meet our clients where they are, without expectation, we elevate not only our relationship with them, but ourselves as professionals. By holding a strong and supportive space we can allow them to unfold within that however they need to. Maybe we will see this occur in some way while they are under our care. Maybe not. Often the most profound impact you make is the one you will never know about.