Monday Morning Motivation | Vampires
Posted by Bill Esteb on Jul 4th 2026
A Moment of Clarity from March 29, 2010: Do you feed vampires?
A “vampire” is a pejorative used by some to describe certain difficult, high-maintenance, energy-draining patients. And while labeling others in this or some other way is unwise, it’s especially unbecoming of a professional caregiver.
What chiropractors who use this term are actually saying is…
“I have such poor personal boundaries that I allow certain patients to affect me in unhealthy ways. I am so dependent on everyone liking me that I find myself saying and doing things I shouldn’t, and I resent myself for it.”
Such labels and name calling are actually a curse.
Yes, there are people who need your acceptance more than others. And there are those who are unsettled, less certain, and more fearful than you.
That’s why they have consulted you. Make sure that your reaction, which is the one thing you can control, doesn’t reveal your own fears, shortcomings, and uncertainties.
Bill Esteb, a passionate chiropractic advocate since 1981, brings a fresh perspective to the profession as Patient Media’s creative director and co-founder of Perfect Patients. With 13 insightful books examining the doctor-patient relationship, he inspires chiropractors worldwide as a chiropractic speaker, through his chiropractor coaching program, and consulting. Since 1999 Monday Morning Motivation has been emailed weekly to over 10,000 subscribers, sparking breakthroughs across the chiropractic community.