Connecting the community and building relationships was the focus of the presentation. It was quite powerful and spoke to most people on more than just one level. For me, it spoke to me as a mother and wife, as a friend, as a community member AND as a physiotherapist within the community. The speaker touched on many important and simple ways to connect and create great relationships, whether it be with your children, your community, your employees or your clients.
As a physical therapist it is important to have a connection with the people we are treating. Whether you work in a small town or a large city, a feeling of “community” and “connection” is important in building and maintaining a therapeutic relationship.
Our number one goal, as a physical therapist, is to help you achieve your goals. And whether you are seeing a physical therapist for the first time, or you’ve seen them over the years for a number of different injuries there should be a strong therapeutic relationship and connection in order for you to have the best success in achieving those goals.
The speaker discussed the following strategies for making stronger connections and relationships (albeit in more depth and with more flare). But as simple as they may seem, each is significant in building relationships and connections.
1. Showing genuine interest in the things one cares about.
2. Making eye contact.
3. Engaging with people on their level.
4. Providing education and learning opportunities at the right time.
5. Staying present.
Again, some may seem obvious, however, it doesn’t hurt to stop and reflect on each one in each specific relationship. As a physiotherapist, the way in which we show up EVERY DAY and make simple changes in our individual interactions can build better connections and relationships.
So in reflecting on the presentation and my takeaways as a clinician, I hope for you as a client coming in for treatment, you are able to find that connection with your physiotherapist - because that connection is the road to achieving goals!!.
~ Jacquie, Physiotherapist