One’s participation in physical therapy can certainly reflect either more of a gardener or a carpenter mindset. Many clients come to us who have clearly been to physical therapy in which they were influenced by the carpenter mindset, which may have negatively impacted their experience.
According to Alison Gopnik, parents fall into one of the two categories: gardeners or carpenters. Put simply, a carpenter is one who thinks their child can be molded, whereas a gardener provides a protected space for their child to explore. The psychology and philosophy professor described these two styles of parenting in regards to raising children in her book, The Gardener and the Carpenter. This book is worth a read, but if you are more of a listener, her podcast on the Ezra Klein show is great to listen to on a walk or car ride.
In addition to illustrating the two styles of parenting, Gopnik describes how and why it may get more difficult for us adults to learn as we age. The process of aging itself is not the primary reason it becomes more difficult to learn, but more so our tendencies towards being a “carpenter” rather than a “gardener”, which is propagated by our culture’s celebration of efficiency and hard work over play and exploration.1
In regards to parenting, a carpenter is one who thinks their child can be molded into a particular kind of person. Want them to be a successful doctor or lawyer? Have them spend more hours studying. Why spend time playing on the playground if time could be spent practicing crucial life skills that they will need as an adult? The tendency of a carpenter is to put more effort into everything if you want better results. The irony of the situation is that play is pretty much the most important thing a child can do to ensure they will be successful as an adult. The time spent playing and exploring is absolutely crucial for a child’s rapidly developing brain, as play allows us to learn how to respond to unexpected situations, create, imagine, work well with others, and problem solve. Motor skills are developed by exploring movement in a variety of stimulating situations and environments, which simply cannot be taught in a classroom. For gardener parents, this goes without saying. Those with the gardening style are not concerned with controlling their children and who they will become, but rather providing safe spaces and experiences to allow their children to explore. This style facilitates a dynamic and nurturing environment in which a child is intrinsically motivated to learn, explore, create, and connect.
How does this apply to us adults? Many of us lose our child-like minds as we go through life, seek fewer new experiences, and develop habitual ways of being. We are less likely to question the status quo, spend less time engaging in “play”, and may find it more difficult to learn new ways of being and thinking. Although this is partly because of the pruning that the brain does as we emerge into adulthood (inhibitory control develops which impacts decision making and decreases impulsive behavior)2, it is likely more related to cultural influences. This shift that occurs can be tied back to childhood, as the traditional educational systems tend to fit the “carpenter” model. As we go through childhood into adolescence, we are encouraged to forget about play. We are taught that we must fit into a specific mold measured by standardized tests, and more effort will make us more successful adults.
When it comes to a physical injury or mobility issue, the carpenter mindset can impede our healing. We may become limited in our ability to explore our bodies in a healthy, nurturing way, for our carpenter tendencies might lead us to believe that we have to be strict, rigid, and “correct” with the way we engage with ourselves.
Let’s consider the example of the supine pelvic clock, a foundational movement of the human body that anyone who has been a client at the Wellness Station is likely familiar with. It is done in a lying down position with knees bent, with the idea of an imaginary clock underneath the pelvis (12 would point towards the head, 6 towards the feet). This type of movement is also commonly prescribed in traditional physical therapy, although typically referred to as a pelvic tilt. The manner in which it is taught might be more reflective of the carpenter mindset, which can detract from the experience.
Consider the following hypothetical conversation between a “carpenter” physical therapist and a client:
Carpenter
Client: How do I do this movement?
Therapist: Tilt your pelvis to flatten your low back against the ground.
Client: What is this doing for me?
Therapist: You are finding the correct position for your back- this will protect your spine and strengthen your core.
Client: What is the correct way to breathe?
Therapist: Breathe out as you flatten your low back, breathe in as you go the other way.
Client: How many should I do?
Therapist: Perform three sets of 10 repetitions of this exercise.
Now, same questions but the gardener therapist:
Gardener
Client: How do I do this movement?
Therapist: Begin to rock your pelvis towards 12 o clock by pressing through your feet and allowing the space between your low back and the ground to decrease. Now, move your pelvis in the opposite direction, towards 6 o clock, allowing the space under your low back to increase.
Notice which parts of you begin to make more contact with the ground, and which parts might lift away.
What sensations are associated with going towards 12? How about going towards 6? Which body parts do you feel are moving? What can you do to bring more ease and comfort into this movement pattern? What variations of this movement pattern can you explore?
Client: What is this doing for me?
Therapist: This is a foundational movement of the human body that is providing an opportunity for learning to occur. We can use it to calm the nervous system, improve awareness and ease of movement, and gently stimulate areas of your body that may be contributing to your pain patterns.
Client: What is the correct way to breathe?
Therapist: Rather than believing there is a correct and an incorrect way to breathe, recognize that life is dynamic and our bodies will naturally breathe for us in ways that will depend on the situation. Begin to become aware of how your breath is responding to the movement. Is there a feeling of synchrony between breath and movement?
Client: How many should I do?
Therapist: Take your time exploring this movement, and rest often. There are no specific number of sets and reps that I will prescribe. It is up to you to listen and respond to what your body is asking for. Once you do not feel like being attentive to this movement anymore, it is time to explore something else.
It may be clear that the actual movement is not as important as the context and the manner in which it is performed. Embracing a child-like mind and a “gardener” attitude in relation to the body is the recipe for healing and graceful aging. Our bodies have the tools they need to heal, but we must provide the right environment in order for them to heal. Healing requires an environment that is nurturing, compassionate, and dynamic, the same kind of environment we hope to provide for our children. Throughout your experience in therapy and beyond, consider moving away from the rigidity of a carpenter mindset, and begin to consider how you can become a gardener for the sake of your healing journey.
References:
Written by Jacob Tyson, DPT - Physical Therapist, Yoga Instructor and The Wellness Station Team