Česky
The workshop will take place on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20, 2024, giving participants a unique opportunity to hone their skills in establishing a healthy therapeutic relationship. "Communication in a healthcare setting that makes both parties feel comfortable is guaranteed to lead to more accurate examination results and a subsequent increase in the success rate of therapy," says Georg Supp, who has worked as a physical therapist for over 30 years.
In the course of his practice, he has encountered virtually every model situation that can arise in the practice. Therefore, he says, good communication at the therapist-patient level is as important a skill for a healthcare professional as, for example, the necessary professional knowledge. And it is on the basis of this experience that the Talk It Easy project was born.
A secondary impetus for the creation of the seminar was the fact that physiotherapists still have limited opportunities to educate themselves more in this area and thus improve their skills. "Many excellent colleagues fail to appreciate their potential because they cannot 'connect' sufficiently with their clients. In fact, it is well known that there is quite often a huge mismatch in the ideal communication between therapist and patient, and we have data from practice to back this up," continues Georg.
As he further explains, physiotherapists often miss out on opportunities for realistic self-assessment by doing this and, for example, confuse excessive consideration with effective communication. "Thus, the same data also reveals to us that colleagues in the field generally cry out for a kind of 'cookbook' to help them acquire better communication skills. So our seminar targets all of these areas," adds Georg.
Stephanie Moers points out that the whole session is largely based on active participation by the audience, who join in a series of practical and fun exercises. "During our time together, for example, we will explore ways to rethink our own approach in our relationship with a patient, thereby being more inclined to listen and being able to uncover our own possible biases. In addition, we will learn more about different strategies that will contribute significantly to coping with a difficult or unexpected situation," Stephanie describes part of the seminar.
Both lecturers remind that in order to provide the best possible individual approach, the number of places in the seminar is limited to 22 people. The venue is the conference room in Hall G. The main language of communication is English, with interpretation into Czech to be provided.
You can register for the seminar via our website at this link, where you will find further important information including accommodation options.
Georg Supp
Georg Supp has been involved in physiotherapy for more than 30 years and now runs the PULZ therapy centre in Freiburg, Germany, together with his colleague Wolfgang Schoch. He has co-authored several professional books and published numerous articles and commentaries in various specialist journals. What's more, since 2011 he has been a member of the International McKenzie Institute, which sponsors the world-renowned diagnostic method of the same name.
He also serves as secretary of the International MDT Research Foundation, a non-profit organization where he is involved in physiotherapy research projects. His main focus at present is on research into patient-rated treatment outcomes. It was in 2018 that Georg received the so-called "Philosopher's Stone" for his long-term contributions to the field of German physiotherapy. His many years of professional and human contribution to the field of physiotherapy did not go unnoticed on an international level when he was selected as a member of the program committee of the upcoming World Physiotherapy Congress, which will take place in Tokyo in May 2025.
His personal philosophy reminds us that the key to successful physiotherapy is good two-way communication based on high expertise: "Solid expertise is a solid foundation, but the specific methods and techniques used do not play a decisive role in physiotherapy. Physiotherapy is primarily based on interpersonal interaction. This is the first and foremost factor for success and mutual satisfaction."
Stephanie Moers
As a physiotherapist, Steffi also has many years of experience and is now working at the PULZ therapy clinic in Freiburg, Germany. Her master's thesis, entitled The Use of Ethics in Health and Social Services, which focuses on the evaluation of the therapeutic relationship in physiotherapy, won a prestigious award in the German Physiotherapy Association in 2019. Two years later, she had the opportunity to present the results of her work at the first annual Physio Deutschland Science Slam Contest. Steffi continues to work professionally as an editor, lecturer and curator for dance and performance art.
Her personal philosophy highlights the fact that nothing is perfect. "Smiling at my own stuttering, blushing, various embarrassing situations, and the realization that I am not without prejudice, makes me realize that perfect communication does not exist. But one can reliably hone one's communication skills by practicing model situations, knowing the basic rules of establishing a therapeutic relationship, and providing quality feedback."
