Speakers: Jody Prohar and Leanne Loranger

On this episode of College Conversations Jody and Leanne continue the discussion of trends in complaints related to allegations of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct, highlighting one of the underlying themes identified from the review of these complaints – communication.

They discuss the comments highlighted in the #WordsMatter infographic and why they are problematic. They connect the concerning comments back to the concept of professional boundaries, the importance of maintaining therapeutic relationships, and the difference between therapeutic relationships and personal relationships.

They also discuss the important roles that context, non-verbal and para-verbal communication play when it comes to how a comment is received, highlighting that how a comment is received depends on both the person speaking and the person on the receiving end of the comment. Towards the end of the episode, they touch on trauma-informed practice and highlight some tips for integrating a trauma informed approach into daily patient interactions.

Communication is one of the hardest skills to master and one that physiotherapists can spend their entire careers developing. Check out this episode to learn more.

Resources:

· Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct Standard of Practice

· Words Matter: Comments & Sexual Misconduct Infographic

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