I travel a lot. Whether traveling as a chiropractic coach or purely for fun, I often find myself in some country somewhere, and in need of an adjustment.
When that happens, I look for a Chiropractor with an open room set up. I prefer to go when there are other patients getting adjusted. And under no circumstances will I see a Chiropractor who has a closed room set up. That may seem shocking to you, but I have very good reasons for this.
I’ve been seeing Chiropractors for decades, and, as a patient, there is a big difference between getting adjusted in a closed room and getting adjusted in an open room.
Here’s what it’s like from the patient’s point of view:
In a closed room, the patient generally spends some time alone, just waiting. They might be bored, or nervous, or anxious, but generally they aren’t going to enjoy this time. When the Chiropractor arrives, the patient is often ready to share some of the negative emotions that have been building up. The Chiropractor becomes the target for letting off steam.
Here's what it's like from the Chiropractor's point of view:
The Chiropractor enters the room where the patient has been waiting. He or she is coming into an atmosphere that is frequently charged with negativity. The Chiropractor needs to make a mental shift from where they just were to where they are now, and, possibly, they must listen patiently as the patient unloads.
Interactions such as these aren’t pleasant for either party. For the Chiropractor particularly there is no sense of Flow. Their concentration is repeatedly interrupted by going in and out of little rooms. Flow is that wonderful state we all long for because we intuitively know that’s when we do our best work.
Flow State
Being in a Flow state is just one of the benefits that open room Chiropractors report. In this scenario, the patient is not shunted off to a small room, but instead is ushered into a space where there is life and activity. Other patients are on the benches. They are either waiting for their adjustment, getting adjusted, or are about to get up post adjustment. The Chiropractor is moving methodically from patient to patient in a Flow state.
The atmosphere is light and friendly. The patient is invited to lie on the bench and relax their body. Because the patient is coming into a space with a positive atmosphere, there is no room for negativity and no need to vent. Patients will often have a sense of being part of something bigger than themselves.
What about patients who have only ever experienced closed room?
Naturally, patients who have only ever experienced closed room may resist the idea of open room at first. Let’s face it, human beings hate change. But if they get past their initial reluctance, they generally enjoy this new experience. When our coaching clients are making the shift from closed to open room, they are often very nervous. They worry that their patients will hate it and leave. We always stress the importance of getting their staff on board first. If the Chiropractor and the staff are excited about the change, then the patients will follow suit.
We have coached dozens and dozens of our clients through the process over the last two decades. And there has not been one single Chiropractor who would ever choose to go back to closed room. Open room is a growing phenomenon in our profession. It’s a concept whose time has come.
- Lynn McAvenia
