I have patients who keep canceling massage appointments, as well as, chiropractic appointments. I want to weed out those who lack commitment, do you have a gentle way of approaching this?

My Response:

I believe that a person's behavior is merely the outward manifestation of their beliefs. That is, they act in a way that is congruent with what they believe. With the possible exception of addictions, when we observe someone who is acting in a way that seems incongruent to us or even counterproductive to their health and happiness, realize their behavior is the result of some conscious or unconscious belief. "Do I go in for an adjustment or would I rather have dinner out with my family?"

Or it may be the result of a far easier explanation. They may have financial concerns. "Do I go in for an adjustment or do I buy shoes for the kids?" Or it could be a time constraint. "Do I go in for an adjustment or do I need to get home and fix dinner?" Or a self-esteem issue, "Do I deserve to indulge myself in the luxury of a massage (or adjustment)?"

So you see, there could be a lot of different motives, many of which the patient may not even be conscious of! However, you can ask questions that may uncover their beliefs and initiate the belief-changing process. Here are few:

At the beginning of care, why do you think we recommend three visits per week?
Why do you think we recommend regular massages to accompany your chiropractic care visit schedule?
Once patients are feeling better, why do you think we recommend once-month visits?

Obviously, modify these questions based on the situation at hand, but the idea here is to uncover what patients believe your visit recommendations and why. Ultimately, it is their beliefs that control their relationship with you.

Bill