Martin Christensen, a Norwegian physiotherapist known for his "Friday Physio Confessions," focuses on the human aspect of healthcare. He emphasises the importance of building a genuine relationship between patients and healthcare providers, acknowledging that mistakes are a natural part of the human experience. Christensen advocates for open communication, empathy, and understanding, highlighting the need for healthcare professionals to admit when they are wrong and to treat patients as individuals. His approach is rooted in the belief that a strong, authentic rapport can significantly enhance patient care and outcomes​​. 

Martin's philosophy in physiotherapy stresses the significance of recognising and embracing the humanity within healthcare interactions. He underscores the essential nature of building authentic relationships, advocating for a healthcare environment where communication is paramount, and where both patients and practitioners can acknowledge mistakes and learn from them. This approach not only fosters trust and respect but also enhances the therapeutic journey by ensuring that patients feel heard, respected, and genuinely cared for, thus promoting a more effective and compassionate healthcare experience. 

In a four-part miniseries on his weekly podcast, Christensen explores the topic of professionalism within physiotherapy, inviting different healthcare professionals as guest speakers such as Jerry Durham, Oliver Thomson, Sue Julians and Adam Meakins. Aiming to uncover the question, ‘what is professionalism?’ the episodes explore four different, but interesting answers. In these episodes, the terminology itself was discussed around the practicality of how it’s used and understood. How do we react to being told to "act professional"? Is it a motivational incentive, or is it a comment on how our behaviour has been perceived previously?  

In these episodes professionalism is discussed around guidelines, appearance and choice of words. Is swearing really unprofessional? And what effect can it have in the workplace? Do we actively go around thinking about our own professionalism? Does our own perception of professionalism stem from old and outdated views of healthcare? Are our own governing bodies falling behind the age of social media? All this and more provides an invigorating discussion. NB: These episodes contain strong language and the personal views of the participants. 

Check out every episode of the podcast here: https://thefridayphysioconfessionpodcast.alitu.com/1?order=newest/#episodes  

Martin will be speaking at on 28 November at Therapy Expo 2024 in his session, ‘Practical professionalism: the paradox of being human within a health care system’ in Theatre C, 13:25-13:55pm. Book your ticket to come along and meet Martin, hear him present live on-stage, and ask questions in our ‘Meet the speaker’ space.