In this blog meet Thomas Yates, LMT MMP CPMT, as he challenges you to take a look at what you are saying and is it kind.
Kindness. One of the biggest issues facing our industry today is kindness – or a lack thereof. When I log in to my social media, I am always excited to see a notification from a massage group. Will there be an interesting case study? Does a fellow therapist have a question I might be able to help answer? Maybe someone is just sharing good news that they passed their exam or their license came in this week.
Sometimes after years of working for others, a therapist has finally made the move to start their own special business. More and more lately, however, I see negative or cruel responses to what my fellow therapists are posting.
The strangest part is that I hardly ever see that in a classroom or work setting. We pride ourselves on being kind, empathetic, and helpful to one another. So why is this lost when we sit behind a computer, tablet, or smartphone? You wouldn’t call another therapist names or belittle them for not knowing something in person, would you? Like so many others in the industry, I’ve spent my career building my colleagues up – not tearing them down. So next time you get that notification that someone has posted in a group where you are a member, ask yourself a few questions before you post your reply:
Is what I’m writing relevant to the question this therapist asked?
Am I confident that this is the correct answer to their question?
And most importantly, Is my response kind? Is this how I want others to respond to my posts?
If you can’t answer those questions, I would urge you to take a step back, think about what you really wish to convey, and make sure you are taking the time to lift your fellow therapists up – not bring them down, hurt their feelings, or belittle them for not knowing the answer.
Let’s continue growing our knowledge, empathy, and trust in each other.
Kindly,
Thomas Yates, LMT MMP CPMT
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