You want to help them, but

I'm always surprised by how entertained I am by my clients from work. For doctors, researchers, psychologists/psychiatrists and clinicians, they can be pretty damn cool. I guess the whole internet-meeting and relaxed environment really breaks down their professionalism, turning them into normal human beings.

Well, most of them. Some are always dicks.

Every so often though, there's that 3rd type of person who get a hold of our association. I always feel terrible for them. From the first time I hear them speak, I can tell that I shouldn't be helping them at all.

It's not that they are bad or mean people. No, not at all - just the opposite in fact: they feel a bit too much. I would hope that all people in my bio-medical line of work care strongly about their patients. This particular kind of person I'm referring to, though, gets too deeply into their practice. It's not hard to tell either. There's a subtle desperation in their voice, that's offsetting. They need to help someone.

One woman comes to mind, from not too long ago.

Her: Well, I have my own private practice in [township East of Montreal]. I would like to incorporate EEG (a.k.a. brainwave) training in my treatments...

Instructor: Alright, we can get into that. Is there a particular specific focus for EEG training?

Her: Well, I would like to look at old age and memory loss. See, my mother has been forgetting...

Even before she mentioned her Mom, I knew beforehand that she was getting into our "tech-stuff" for the wrong reasons. You see, this 3rd type of person that I encounter through work is trying to help a member of their own family.

It's admirable and wonderful that they would go to such lengths to try and help someone. However, as much as someone, or maybe you in fact, want to help a loved one, you should never try to perform the treatment yourself. I would never expect anyone to attempt surgery on their son, but you would be surprised how many people want to buy bio-medical equipment to treat their son's intense ADHD.

One should never be emotional close to the patient. Accuse me of being detached or emotionless, but you don't think clearly and you risk doing damage. You want to get results, no matter what.

The quoted woman from above, was very insistent on wanting to help her mother push back the mental effects of old age. She wanted to start treatment immediately, without even knowing what to train or where to focus. Two lessons in, I could tell she didn't have the natural "feel" or talent to use the equipment. Even with 50 hours of training, I doubt it anything the instructor or I taught her would solidify in her mind.

I admired her for wanting to help, but I did feel bad for her. It's always best to let someone else treat someone, for whom you care deeply.