Overcoming the "Rescuer": Meeting People Where They Are in Their Journey
In
the Ethics &
Archetypes Home Study Course,
participants take a survey at the beginning to
determine which archetypes are active and which
are not. Here's an excerpt from a massage
therapist who had the "Rescuer" as her lowest
ranking archetype.
She is right on target when she comments about
"Rescuers" attracting "Victims". They are magnetic to
each other, because each needs the other to act out
it's archetypal identity. If you seem to have a lot
of "Victims" coming to you for massage therapy, you
may have a bit more "Rescuer" than you'd think!
Here's what she says:
"My lowest ranking archetype is the ‘Rescuer’. I
believe that because I do not subscribe to the
Rescuer’s tendency to want to fix people, nor do I
believe that I know what is best for the client
I rarely attract what I feel like is the counterpart
of this archetype – the Victim- into my life and
practice. Instead I feel like I am often able to
grasp multiple truths, especially as they relate to
each individual’s experience. Though I still continue
to work on this, I have created a lot of growth for
myself in accepting and meeting people where they are
in their journey."
This is a wonderful testimony for the changes that
can happen in your massage practice when you begin to
work from the more empowered archetypes of "Seeker",
"Magician", or "Sage."
So how does one "meet them where they are?" The first
component is to understand where YOU are in your
journey. Many times people who are just entering into
"Seeker" have remnants of their old un-empowered
archetypes around for a long time. The client may not
be as far along as you, and you have to let that be
ok.
The second component is to trust that healing is
already going on, and will continue long after you
and the client go your separate ways. The small bit
of energy you can add to the client's healing is just
a drop in the ocean compared to all the other forces
that are acting on his/her life!
The third component is keeping your boundaries
intact. Many times, rescuing behavior is a result of
counter-transference. That is, something about the
client triggers your unfinished business, and brings
out your "Rescuer".