The First Palpation / Symposium F: Various Concepts, Presentation

One of the joys of teaching is teaching palpation to brand new students who have never been exposed to an osteopathic palpation. Initially, these students are sceptical and claim not to be feeling anything , but, as the palpation continues, all of them will feel something that we call PRM and some will even feel what seasoned osteopaths feel. They will feel at different levels, from fascial pulls, to fluidic and electromagnetic fields. Of course, they do not know what level they are on or what they are really feeling, but they have a sensory feedback, a certain dialogue with the tissues, that they can describe in words. In essence, their palpation range from the biomechanical to the biodynamic. All this on the first day and on their first palpation. With years I have come to the conclusion that it is essential to always bring the students back to the state of mind of their first palpation in order to keep their palpation free and spontaneous. This can be an asset to their acquired palpatory skill. I would like to share with my fellow osteopaths how I prepare the students for this first palpation which is pure, raw and unencumbered by expectations and analysis.

BSc in Physiotherapy from McGill University in Montreal in 1980. Head physiotherapist at Uster Spital, Switzerland, from1984-1988. Teaching assisstant for dissection at McGill University 1988-1990 Diploma of osteopathy from the CEO,Montreal, 1995 Teaching for the CEO in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, DOK (Germany), SICO(Switzerland) 1996-to the present Founder and chief instructor at the Akademija Osteopatije (Croatia) from 2001-to the present Board of directors ADOQ( Association des Osteopathes du Quebec)