There comes a point in rehabilitation when each individual takes over the control and gets into the driver's seat of their rehabilitation.

For some, this might happen quite early and so others this can take some time.

I have come to realise over the past 24 years that there are also 2 different mindsets that influence how much effort clients put into their own rehabilitation outside of physio sessions.

When your mindset of what can you do to me and for me is present, this indicates that someone else has all the pieces of the puzzle and the control is handed over. This mindset abdicates self-responsibility and ownership of rehabilitation with the belief that there is nothing that you can do your yourself and that rehab has to be done to you.

I know that this is so not true. No matter what the injury, there is always something that can be done with or without help. But here's the difference. When someone thinks; "What can I do myself?", even though they may need help to complete exercises, the ownership, the drive comes from the client. Here there is a belief that they will do everything in their power through effort and action to work towards their goal.

I have seen thousands of clients over the past 24 years with the What can I do for myself mindset where I have witnessed the willingness and self-drive to want to do more for themselves and by themselves to enhance their recovery and ability.

Also, I have witnessed the clients with the mindset of what can you do for me who lack the self-belief and the drive to take action outside of neurophysio sessions when there is no therapist to encourage them to keep going. With this mindset, clients usually do not take much or any action outside of therapy sessions.

You are probably wondering why am I bringing this up?

What difference does it make knowing this?

Well, it actually makes a massive difference knowing this.

Right now during co-vid19 when we are all finding things very challenging and stressful, the added layer of your rehabilitation mindset may influence your willingness to do more for yourself and by yourself.

This is not a judgement

Because I know what's it's like to self judge yourself and most clients' self judge with a very harsh self inner critic.

This will hopefully give you some insight into

1. why you may be doing more self-directed rehab and getting on well with online rehab programs or
2. it may give you more insight into why you may be finding this period incredibly challenging and difficult to navigate and all the emails and online programs are not going to help because you struggle with motivating yourself to do this by yourself.

But perhaps something else can be done, right?

I am working with clients right now, who believe that they cannot do the rehabilitation by themselves and have been doing incredibly well with online zoom neuro physio sessions.

I have one client who I check in with every 2 weeks and he follows an exercise program and reaches out when he needs support.

I have another client who I review every 3 weeks and he has exercises to complete daily I have another client who I review monthly and each month as he has progressed, we add more exercises on to replace the ones that have become easier.

I have another client who I work with daily Monday to Friday throughout lockdown who has requested daily support to help her with her rehabilitation.

So one size doesn't fit all.

Depending on each individual client's mindset and belief of what they believe they each can do by themselves and how much help and support they believe they each need to get through this challenging time, this will influence the level of therapy support.

So if you have the mindset of "I can't do this by myself, I need help from a therapist to help me stay focussed and committed to my rehab and I need my physio to tell me what to do and when", then weekly online zoom sessions could really help and support you through this challenging time.

So if your mindset is one of, tell me what to do and I can go away and do it myself, then online neuro-rehab programs would work really well for you. If you have a mindset of "help me, I need someone to do this for me" mindset, then I understand how challenging you must be finding this time especially if you are used to a neurophysio doing your therapy to you and for you.

But there is an invitation here if you are open.

The invitation is simply this...

What if there is more that I can do for myself right now?

What if there has always been more I can do for myself, I just wasn't ready but lockdown has given me the opportunity to see what I can do by myself with support of a neurophysio with online zoom or WhatsApp support?

At Neurolink Physiotherapy, we have witnessed this transition for some clients and it has been very positive. I have come to know and believe that we can always help ourselves but it will be influenced by the "help me, I need someone to do it for me" mindset versus the "I can help myself with the right guidance" mindset

Hey, and sometime it may be a combination right?

When you know you need help and hands-on but you can also be doing things by yourself and that's ok too!

So the question I have for you today is, What is your mindset around rehab and Physio and which of the 3 below do you relate to most right now?

1. Is it what can I do for myself?

2. Is it what can I do with help and support?

3. Is it I can only do rehab with hands-on support?

Get curious with this question, it is an invitation for self-reflection and personal growth and self-transformation, because once you know where you are with your thinking, you understand where you are and how this could be influencing your rehabilitation now as well as in the past.

If you would like to continue to navigate this challenging time, click here to find out more if you are ready for online neurophysio programs

Take care, keep moving and stay healthy

Natalie x 

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