Ayurveda FAQ
Q: How do you handle it when someone doesn't follow through with treatment, or decides to stop altogether?
A: This rarely happens in my practice, but it is always difficult emotionally for me when it does because I care so much about my patients. Talking with other Holistic Healers, I have observed that we all tend to encounter some version of this problem. We can see so clearly the path of healing for someone, but they decide to stop treatment. Or someone may keep coming to appointments but is not following through with treatment recommendations, and is also expressing frustration over not seeing results.
People give their practitioners many reasons for stopping any kind of healing process, but really all of those reasons boil down to one, which is that they just aren't ready (to do what we are suggesting or hear what we are saying). My guru taught me that, although we often want to help so badly that it hurts, we cannot take on someone else's karma. It isn't right for us to try, either.
Sometimes people need to go through certain experiences before they are ready to heal, and we cannot rush those events no matter how much we care for the person. Experience provides perspective, and that has to come from within.
Most of the people who choose to work with Holistic Healers will be motivated and ready for our particular healing approach. With those people, the relationship between provider and patient is what we call "a good fit". But all of us will have to face situations in which we want to help so badly, and for whatever reason, we can't. When that happens, we have to take a step back and de-personalize. It's not about us. Sometimes we just get to be one step in the healing process and not the end of the line. That's okay. Being part of the process at all is an honor. 🌻