an entirely different, holistic, approach

Dear Robin

I mentioned to you that I had suddenly reflected that you, through your skills, have greatly enhanced my quality of life. As you know, I had been to osteopaths before and had ended up going for treatment every four to six weeks or when things got difficult. The attitude seemed to be that I had a crocked-up body (a car crash, a fall) and that was that. Osteopathy seemed to serve to alleviate the hopeless symptoms. The osteopath was a fireman.

By luck, I was recommended to you and found an entirely different, holistic, approach. It was, to begin with, disturbingly collaborative. You wanted to know about the whole person and you wanted me to articulate how I felt, where the pain was, how it came and went and so forth. You wanted to know about my life and how it affected me; You wanted me to describe discomfort and tell the story. You were alarmingly perceptive and sometimes told me that I was presenting as being depressed, preoccupied or whatever. You invited me in to the process in a slightly intimidating way. You made me tell my story.

It certainly helps. You use a variety of techniques with a far greater emphasis on massage and a lesser dependence on manipulation. Your range of skills includes acupuncture (needles and laser!). You use your skills to accompany me on my journey.

If this approach is a common one, it was new to me. I found it disconcerting for a while, but I certainly found that it was effective.

So it was that, one day, I found myself taking a tube journey to a French Class in South Kensington. A tube journey that seemed less fatiguing than usual. I was carrying bags that I would have had difficulty carrying before and I felt fine. In the past I would have spent most of the next day lying down having made that journey, carrying those bags of books and papers. It would have created serious fatigue and back pain – instead, I was a little tired as any normal man of my age might be. I was back (no pun). For this, I thank you, and want to express my great gratitude to you. Bless you, dear Robin.

Christopher