Starting Small

"Revolutions always start small and among the weirdos." Robert Scoble

I've had one too many holidays. I actually survived 5 whole days with no work...didn't even bring my laptop home, which is amazing for me. I'm sure my kids appreciated it, but I think I may need to spend more time with my computer because they seem to be rapidly outpacing me in the technology department. When is it time for the parent to become the student rather than the teacher?

The holidays afforded me some time to get caught up on some reading and to feed my latest obsession. Some people (mostly my wife) think it's strange that I want to read books about my work all the time, but I can (and do) relate almost everything to therapy. It's something I seem to have learned from one of my mentors. He recently directed me to a book that is one of the most important I have ever read and I recommend everyone with a brain pick one up. Norman Doidge, M.D., has written an astounding book about the most exciting development in neuroscience in the last 20 years. Your brain is plastic! Sounds anti-climactic I know, but the implications are profound. It is further reinforcement for me about the ability of someone to rewire their nervous system - at any age - and transform the mind and the body. It is the hope and purpose of all rehabilitation.

Funny thing is, it has taken weirdos to bring about this transformation. And, at least as it pertains to therapy, much need for change remains. There is a revolution in pain science that has been occuring for years, but few in my profession seem to notice...or care. Revolution means there is no more business as usual. The world is changing. Keep up! Join the weirdos.

Sometimes this change seems to be occuring at a dizzying pace. As I said above, my children, whose incredibly plastic brains absorb almost anything with enviable ease, move about the world eagerly welcoming new experiences. They are not trapped in the ruts of mental habit or physical posturing that afflict some of us as we age. People often lament that symptoms must mean they're getting older. In reality, they are becoming less plastic, reinforcing entrenched habits of being. But research shows us that incredible changes - for the better - can occur even in the brains of the elderly or disabled. We can learn new things. We can do things differently. Begin it! Welcome to 2008!

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Goethe