I'm looking for your comments about using the term "client" in place of "patient". I don't recall if it was during one of your lectures or a
chapter in one of your books. If it's in print - would you please direct
me to it?

I want to refresh my memory on the subject, I think it fits better with a wellness model of care, in fact, I think that is what you said about it.

Thanks,
Tom

My Response:

I've struggled with this languaging problem for some time, even asking some of the leaders in the profession about it. I've come up empty-handed. As we transcend into the Wellness Revolution, we lack several key terms. Among them is what do you call someone who isn't "suffering," whose root word is what we get the modern day word "patient" from, but is seeking to optimize and improve some aspect of their life?

Dr. Epstein has suggested the term "practice member." Which I like, except there are people seeking to develop their fullest potential who don't do so by seeking a practitioner with a practice.

The phrase "health seeker" has come up, but it sounds too, new-age or something.

So, client is the only other word that comes to mind for me that starts to describe the type of relationship a wellness relationship seems to be. Ultimately, we'll probably have to invent a new word that doesn't exist right now.

But I think there's a bigger problem. What do you call the doctor-person? Healer? Facilitator? Coach? Pathfinder? Assistant? I don't think the word "doctor" is going to fly. Hmmm. Maybe just call yourself Tom.

Bill