Cultivating the Therapeutic Alliance: Creating a Safe Space for Everyone

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About the Webinar

Physical therapy practice engages health care teams to support patients in their recovery within various practice settings. Cultivating a solid therapeutic alliance is a pivotal ingredient for successful outcomes in patient-centered care. However, creating a safe space for patients, clinicians, students, and other health care staff can be challenging, particularly when the demographics of current physical therapy practitioners do not match the demographics of the people we serve. All members of the therapeutic team come together with unique experiences and diverse cultural backgrounds. Yet, we all have "blind spots" when it comes to an understanding another person's perspective. How is it possible for health care practitioners to create a clinical environment in which all members are "seen" and respected? 

The University of Lynchburg CULTURE Group (Cultivating Unified Lives Through Understanding, Reflecting, and Educating) has explored the concept of creating a safe space in physical therapy practice. Diversity, equity, and inclusion may be the goal, but this challenges us to achieve a much-needed shift in the demographic profile of physical therapy practice.  Recognizing and addressing implicit and explicit bias will improve interactions with patients and colleagues. Using clinical examples and encouraging personal reflection, this presentation will offer actionable steps that will evolve the lived experiences in the clinic to be more respectful, supportive, and safe for everyone.

Objectives:

1. Introduction to CULTURE
2. Defining Safe Space
3. Creating Safe Space for Patients, Clinicians, Students, and Other Staff/Team Members
4. Safe Space Challenges in Different Practice Settings
5. Checking Our "Blind Spots": Implicit and Explicit Bias
6. Strategies to Recognize and Address Bias
7. "My Therapist Doesn't Look Like Me" - Race and Ethnicity in Physical Therapy Practice
8. Action Steps: Knowing your WHY and Knowing your WHAT

Presenter:

Katherin Duong, PT, DPT 
Katherin Duong, PT, DPT, is a 2020 graduate of the University of Lynchburg DPT program. She is a practicing clinician at an outpatient clinic in an assisted-living facility in Gainesville, VA. She is a co-founder of CULTURE and a co-leader of the Cultural Humility Team for APTA’s Virginia Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee. 

Jonathan Reynolds, PT, DPT
Jonathan Reynolds, PT, DPT, is a 2021 graduate of the University of Lynchburg DPT program and served in CULTURE leadership during my time in the program. Jonathan is currently employed with Drayer Physical Therapy, an affiliate of Benchmark physical therapy working with patients in the neurological and orthopedic outpatient settings. He is passionate about growing the profession in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Raven Jefferson, PT, DPT 
Raven Jefferson, PT, DPT, is a 2021 graduate from the University of Lynchburg DPT program and served as a co-leader of CULTURE. Raven is  currently practicing at The Jackson Clinics, an outpatient orthopedic company in the Northern Virginia area. 

Myles Sully, SPT, CSCS
Myles Sully, SPT, CSCS, is a 3rd year DPT student at the University of Lynchburg. He has served as co-leader of CULTURE and plans to work in the outpatient orthopedic setting following graduation.

Courtney Holleran, SPT
Courtney Holleran, SPT, is currently a 2nd year DPT student at the University of Lynchburg who serves as a co-leader of CULTURE.  She is passionate about learning and love getting to know others through their shared stories by providing a unique perspective on life. 

Anna Yoon, SPT
Anna Yoon, SPT, is currently a 3rd year DPT student at the University of Lynchburg. She served as a co-leader of CULTURE. Anna's  coursework and clinical experiences have helped her learn that she enjoys working with individuals with neurologic impairments. She also, enjoys working with individuals from diverse backgrounds because they all have different stories to tell. Through CULTURE, Anna has learned to be curious about her own biases, and she looks forward to seeing how that impacts the patients she cares for. 

Denise Martin, SPT
Denise Martin, SPT, is currently a 2nd year DPT student at the University of Lynchburg who serves as a co-leader of CULTURE. Through CULTURE, she has learned to be vulnerable around her peers and have open discussions on topics or ideas that may have impacted her differently. 

Sidnei Arrowood, PT, DPT
Sidnei Arrowood, PT, DPT, is a 2021 graduate of the University of Lynchburg DPT program and served as a co-leader of CULTURE. Sidnei has a passion for the acute care setting. 

Samson Robinson, PT, DPT
Samson Robinson, PT, DPT, is a 2020 graduate of the University of Lynchburg, Doctor of Physical Therapy program. He is a practicing clinician in the city of Pinehurst, NC, in an outpatient orthopedic setting. Samson is the co-founder of CULTURE and has a passion for diversity and learning.

Lee Ann Eagler, PT, DPT, GCS

Lynette Reina, PT, DPT, OCS