Thursday, May 7, 2009

Hit and Run Therapy - the Magic Pill Theory

Sometimes people want it all, right now. We live in a land of immediate gratification. Fix me. Make it happen for me. I want it now. Let me swallow the magic pill and make everything better. Wouldn't it be great if this were the case? I was listening to Dr. Radio, which is on Sirius and XM. They have a lot of great programs. A program discussing mental health and this very concept was being discussed. Here's the example they gave:

If you break your ankle, it has to be set in a cast. The practitioner sets the bone and creates the cast. You wait for the cast to set, for the break to heal, keeping your weight off the ankle. After the break heals, the cast comes off and the physical therapy begins. This therapy takes time, and the patient has to be an active participant. It is usually hard work, and the work has to be consistent for the therapy to help the patient heal and regain full use of the ankle.

In mental health, it is the same way. The person needs to be an active, consistent participant. Let the therapist help set the break to heal. Take time to heal. Then, show up, do the work, participate in their work toward wholeness, wellness.

When we set up a practitioner to fix us, we set ourselves up for failure. Please give yourself the time to heal and participate in your wellness.

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