The world has changed from one day to the other, so we had to change our lives.

We had to slow down or stop, or turn everything upside down and find ourselves in this new reality.

Some of us still work in hospitals, some are in the obligatory lockdown – not allowed to leave their homes, not allowed to go to work.

Some are driving crazy with the kids all the time around, or with the wife not stoping talking 😉 Some are looking for distraction in sports, some in a glass of wine.

Most likely we eat healthier, but must probably we also eat too much!

And when all the corners in the house are already clean and all the papers organised, we – just as you – have days of total frustration, days of hope, days of boredom, days of laziness etc…

It’s pretty much difficult to look now for the positive sides of the crisis, however, there are some! Normally most of us have a hectic pace of life, we work too much, we’re constantly snowed under, constantly speeding things up. And now – we find time for these small, but important things – calling a friend, reading a book, watching birds in the sky. And there’s less pollution in the air!

Personally – I have never been so brown! Now I have the possibility to chase the sun whenever it reaches the balcony. It’s just a pity that I cannot show this amazing suntan around, sitting all the time at home…

But wait a minute… Sitting at home doesn’t have to be entirely unproductive! And you need to know, that your IMTA Family is still at work! Your teachers read a lot and refine their presentations, to impress you even more during our next meetings. Your assistants keep regular video-conferences on topics of their interest. The Board and Working Groups think on how to improve the contents of our courses, so that they’re even more attractive and up to date. 

And we discuss a lot. Of course, like in each family, there are sometimes even stormy discussions, but it’s all to find better solutions for the future.

We were also thinking about offering some online courses (so popular these days) or some theoretical lectures for those of you, who were suddenly faced with a cancelled course. But hey! We are an extremely practical group! The theory we present serves the clinical purposes and the best way to present the practical application is LIVE! Sure, we do have very good videos of the most important techniques / tests / exercises we teach during the courses, but it’s not all…

So here it comes – something we have to admit and what we want you to know:

WE MISS YOU LIKE HELL! 

A teacher without students is like a kite without wind. Cannot fly. Is useless.

“The measure of love is loss” – and we love sharing ideas, we love eye to eye contact, we love the discussions with you; we love seeing the development of our course participants, we love finding new ways to explain, we love to see your smiles, we love having fun together! And these are all the things we can’t have now, but these things we cannot do online, either.

Nevertheless, we didn’t want to leave you surrounded by a complete silence from our side, and here our IMTA’s pearl – Sebastian – came up with help, creating for all of us some exciting Kahoot challenges to entertain us a bit in these quiet days / weeks / months (thanks Seb!). We hope you enjoy them as much as we do 🙂

Well, perhaps in the future we will try and create some webinars or online sessions, but more as a satellite modules to our core program (you’re welcome to give us ideas on that for the future!).

We don’t know when we will see you again. We’re separated by borders, regulations, apprehension, daily troubles… But we all need social contact and not this prolonged distance. It’s so much easier now to understand people who are lonely in their regular lives. They often come to us – therapists – just because they need someone to talk to, someone who will show interest in them, or just because they’re desperate to get a human touch (and touch can be healing – not only for the body, but also for the soul). And I’m not afraid to say this in times, when “hands off only” therapy is in fashion (this fashion will fade away too, like any other fashion in physiotherapy). A good therapist is the one who listens and analyses, what the unique personality in front of them (the patient) really needs. A good therapist is the one with empathy and a sound clinical reasoning. The first of the two you have to have, in order to survive in this profession, but the second one is a thing to learn, a skill we emphasise so much during our courses.

We really can’t wait for things to come back to normal, or at least half normal and we’re crossing fingers that our (next) meeting with you is coming soon! Till then, stay healthy, think positive, smile behind the mask and keep in touch with us!

Virtual hugs!

Yours

IMTA Family 🙂