If you've fallen into the common trap of seeing yourself as a patient "fixer," you're likely feeling a bit tired and overwhelmed. Carrying patients, rather than caring for patients, puts an unrealistic burden on you. It overlooks the immutable fact that patients do the healing, not you. At best, you're merely a "releaser."
Being responsible (response able) for something you can't control (their recovery), creates an overdraft on your emotional "checking account." It can produce resentment from patient choices, frustration due to their unwillingness to change, anger from missed appointments and defensiveness when results don't come as expected.
Patients (and their sometimes poor follow-through) aren't the problem. Attempting to practice with poorly defined boundaries and choosing to see their problem as your problem, is. Set clear boundaries. "Here's what you can expect from us... And here's what we're expecting of you..." should be part of every report of findings.
Is it part of yours?
