In the latest MMM you recommend asking the new patient, "Why do you think chiropractic can help."

This, in my opinion, is not the best course of action. Imagine standing next to a thick of woods that you know intimately and asking a stranger, new to the area, why he/she thinks they can find the cottage somewhere deep in the wood? The point is they may not know. It's your job as the doctor or health guide to know, to make the patient know that you know and to give the patient confidence that they will get better and that you see their star- or how they can be when their body/mind/spirit is working at it's optimum. Asking why they think chiro can help can serve to raise doubt in the patient. "Shit, even the doctor doesn't know. Am I missing something?" Imagine your MD asking you why you think a certain medicine will help?

My Response:

You ask this question (or its many derrivations) to uncover their theory about how chiropractic works. Most DCs assume patients see the role of chiropractic, how it works, why it works, why it might not work, as they do. This is about rapport building, not one upsmanship or playing the social role of being a doctor. Every patient has a theory about chiropractic or they wouldn't bother showing up. The healer's responsibility is to help connect the patient's body and brain. Ignoring the misperceptions, wrongheaded ideas and inappropriate expectations of a patient does little to grow a trusting relationship.

Using your metaphor, you'd want to find out if the patient was even interested finding the cottage in the wood, and what approach would they likely take to find the cottage in the wood, and how long would they be willing to search for the cottage in the wood before giving up. After all, the intention of the patient is as important, or more so, than the intention of doctor.

Bill