Sustainable Momentum


riding my bikeDo you remember when you first learned to ride a bike? Do you remember the wobbling from side to side, and the many times you had to put your foot to the ground to steady yourself. And then one day you got it. You pushed off confidently, turning the pedals steadily and rhythmically, judging the pace perfectly. Maybe you were one of those who could cycle without your hands? I never managed that!

I usually explain to clients in the initial session that ideally therapy happens on a regular basis, because the continuity of the process is important. Momentum helps to build trust, to focus on an issue long enough for change to happen, and for appropriate support to be in place to carry us over the wobbly parts.

And it’s not just in relation to the client work that momentum is important. The same principle applies to almost every aspect of running your practice. Whether you’re talking about promoting your practice, updating your website, writing up your books and records, or keeping in contact with colleagues, doing it once is like turning the pedals, effective at the time but the effects don’t last. You have to keep going, regularly. Of course, it’s possible to build up the momentum to the stage where you can free wheel for a while, but if you stop pedalling and don’t start again, the bike will come to a halt.

Which brings me to the second word in the title above, sustainable. While momentum is good, it has to be in such a way as can be kept up over time. One reason I suspect, why clients may choose other approaches over psychoanalysis, may be because psychoanalysis leans towards sessions twice, thrice or perhaps more times a week, and for most people with any sort of a life, that just isn’t sustainable, either in practical or financial terms.

Most people have a range of pace within which they are comfortable. On the edges of that range, we can adapt, learning and growing. However, if the pace is too far outside that range, (in biking speed terms, either too fast or too slow, or in distance too short or too far) most people are likely to falter, either because the challenge is too much, or they are bored.

When it comes to creating a therapy practice, sustainable momentum is hugely important, especially for those for whom bike raceputting themselves out there is a challenge, or who have always worked within an organisation rather than for themselves. It’s not just about changing behaviour. It’s also about the internal growth we need to do. It takes time to work through the emotional and psychological issues that building a practice brings up for us, so we have to sustain our efforts long enough and hard enough to effect a change, and for that change to be normalised. For those who have no previous experience of being self employed, and who are strongly introvert, creating sufficient change can take years.

Structure helps. The concept of self-directed learning is a good one, but few have the discipline to make this journey alone. That is why so few people implement what they learn at workshops. A plan helps, but even better is a process in which someone who has already walked the path is there to support and guide you, and give you the occasional nudge!

If you’re struggling to grow your practice, if you’d like some support in making the changes you’d like to make, I’d love to help you. Contact me here to make an appointment or to avail of your free 20 minute consultation.