Professional Visit: Sandra Kühl and the Power of Social Interaction in Healing
Last week I had the pleasure to welcome Sandra Kühl, a physiotherapist from Physio Brunswik in Kiel, Germany, for a one-day visit here in Japan. She came to watch my work, exchange ideas, and dive a bit deeper into the philosophy behind the CrossPhysio approach.
And very quickly we discovered something beautiful:
our way of thinking about healing is almost identical.
Healing Is Not Only Technique – It Is Relationship
Both of us believe strongly that social interaction, trust, and connection make up at least 50% of the healing process.
The hands-on techniques matter, of course. Experience matters. Knowledge matters.
But what truly creates change in the nervous system is:
feeling safe,
feeling seen,
feeling understood,
and having a therapist who genuinely cares.
This is something that no machine can replace.
And it was refreshing to meet another therapist—especially someone who works mainly with babies and mums—who shares exactly the same view.
A Similar Approach, Different Populations
Sandra’s work focuses on newborns, infants, and mothers during and after pregnancy. She works with gentle techniques, awareness, and a deep respect for how sensitive the early months of life are.
Even though our patient groups are different—my work ranges from international adults to athletes to elderly Japanese clients—our therapeutic intention is the same:
create space, calm the system, and help the body reorganize itself.
Why AI Will Not Replace Us
During our discussions we laughed a bit about the idea that AI might “replace physiotherapists.”
After this day together, the answer is even clearer:
AI can support – but it cannot touch, it cannot sense, and it cannot create relationship.
The human aspect of physiotherapy is not a small detail.
It is the foundation.
It is medicine.
Hearing about how Sandra interact with her patients and talk about her work reminded me again how important this human connection is and how lucky we are to be in this profession.
A Day of Inspiration
I am grateful that across countries, across specialties, and across techniques, there are therapists who share the same heart and values.
Thank you, Sandra, for the visit, the exchange, and the inspiration.