Physical therapists (PTs) are committed to scientific, evidence-based practice. We are steeped in training in cause and effect. We dig deep for the root issue, as opposed to the symptoms, and direct our efforts accordingly.

As we begin integrating wellness services into clinical practice, however, our professional spectrum expands beyond anatomy and physiology. As we serve wellness clients, we encounter situations in which an issue's root cause is elusive, because it is more a matter of philosophy and wish-fulfillment. Our initial excavations may run into barriers before yielding definitive answers. What then?

First, we must keep in mind that wellness, or well-being, is all about the bigger picture of life. Whether you feel the brick wall you've hit is the product of a constellation of unanticipated events, the will of some higher power, or just plain bad luck, the effects of hitting it can be the same. Approached in the right manner, that wall can double as a street sign pointing the way to a new, different, and potentially exciting path.