She was facing an uncomfortable and scary medical appointment.

She couldn't seem to turn off the dread for weeks ahead of time. It monopolized her mind.

It seemed each appointment was worse than the last and always painful, sometimes for months afterwards!

On this particular occasion, she was given potentially devastating news!

But instead of being comforted or having her questions answered, she was left alone in a cold, sterile room for over an hour without anyone even checking on her or updating her as to when the doctor might be in.

She just sat their alone, in a revealing medical gown and cried, contemplating her future... and if she had a future.

Right outside her door medical "professionals" (term used lightly) were yelling to one another down the hall about her as if she wasn't there... or didn't matter.

She knew her body and that she needed an ultrasound rather than mammogram but although her chart clearly stated this, no one read her chart OR listened to her.

She felt devalued, dismissed... misunderstood and stressed. It was a horrible experience she'd remember forever.

Ava and I worked together before her next appointment.

We determined exactly what she needed to say and how to say it. How to stand up for herself and make people listen. How to command the energy in the room.

Her next appointment was opposite of the previous ones. 

She was heard. She was seen. Her boundaries were respected. She was treated like the valuable woman she is and the staff behaved compassionately.

She got what she had wanted and needed all along, with the medical staff on her side instead of fighting against her.

Friend, if you've ever felt unheard or devalued because someone didn't listen to you or respect your boundaries, you need to know how to stop giving your power away.