Acupuncture and a headshot session: some thoughts on Connectedness

Do you have to believe in order for it to work? That was the question that kept coming to mind as I was laying on the table about to receive my first acupuncture treatment. I wanted to hear from a professional if the Chinese medicine would be effective even if I didn’t totally buy into it. I found my answer later that day, and I’ll tell you all about it by the end of this post.

First, let me introduce you to my new friend, Heather Grant. Heather is a licensed practitioner who has been studying and working in California for years. She recently moved to Greensboro and has set up her own wellness center in town. I met Heather on the facebook while replying to a post and we agreed, as I sometimes do, to trade services. I’m far more open-minded than I have been in the past, and I was not only curious, but also hopeful that non-western medicine might be able to help me work through some things.

Before I ever walked into Heather’s office, we spoke on the phone about details for some headshots, and I could tell that she was a little nervous about having some photos made. Unless you have a fair amount of experience working with photographers, having someone put you on the spot and point a big camera at your face can cause you to become very self-conscious. It’s something that we all relate to in one way or another. The most challenging aspect comes from the fact that we don’t always envision ourselves exactly as the camera sees us.

As with many headshot sessions, we started outside, but the weather was very cold. Despite the sunlight, the wind made it very uncomfortable for both of us. It’s just difficult to feel naturally relaxed when your body is shivering, and that goes for the person in front of the lens and the person trying to hold it steady. Thankfully, I lease a very awesome climate-controlled studio and we were able to get a lot of work done inside.

As we were working through the third look, I could tell that Heather was more relaxed. I could see in her face that she trusted me to help her look her best, and that kind of trust is priceless in my profession. It’s at this moment that I want to make this connection a little more obvious. I believe, wholeheartedly, in connectedness and the idea that our minds and bodies are even more inseparably woven than we can imagine. It all goes back to the question I posed at the beginning.

Sensing the client settling into a state of trust is similar to answering that question internally. Do I have to believe it in order for it to work? Yes, in a way, we all do. You have to believe that I have your best interests at heart in order to get the best expressions, just like I believed that the acupuncture Heather provided would benefit me. That mind-body connection is tangible and Heather’s session is a perfect example of how it works in various facets of our lives.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I’d recommend Paradox Wellness for acupuncture and massage services to anyone. If I wasn’t sure before, you should know that I believe it, now.