When cultural safety is talked about in physiotherapy or healthcare more broadly, it’s easily reduced by many to something surface level, like a quick training session, a tokenistic Acknowledgement of Country, a social media post or knowing the right words to say. 

But cultural safety is so much deeper than that. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, cultural safety is a lifeline. It is often the difference between showing up for care or avoiding it completely. 

It determines whether we feel safe and supported enough to be ourselves, to share our stories honestly, to trust that we’ll be treated with respect. And critically, it shapes our health outcomes. 

What cultural safety actually means 

Cultural safety, at its heart, is a feeling and it’s not something the practitioner, clinic or health system can declare. It’s determined by the person in the space, not the people running it. 

Let me be clear about something: cultural safety is the bare minimum, it is a human right and too often it is not met. 

For First Nations people, cultural safety means we can walk into a clinic proudly ourselves without leaving our identity at the door.

It means our cultural background, our connection to Country and our way of understanding health and healing are respected as strengths, not barriers. 

There’s no single formula for creating cultural safety because no two Aboriginal communities are the same. 

Cultural safety in my community, Cowra, a part of the Wiradjuri Nation, will look different from what’s culturally safe for other communities in other Nations across the Country. 

Essentially, culturally safe environments empower First Nations people to express their true identities, take control and place the cultural domains of health and wellbeing at the centre of policies and initiatives addressing healthcare issues in our communities.

The key is prioritising time to listen deeply to the community you are working with. 

Why cultural safety matters to health outcomes 

The health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians isn’t just about income, location or personal behaviour. 

It’s deeply rooted in the impacts of colonisation, dispossession of land and culture, structural racism, intergenerational trauma and a health system that was never designed for us. 

When you work in a system that feels unsafe, you’re less likely to engage with it. 

I’ve seen this in my own family: relatives putting off appointments until they’re seriously unwell or it’s too late because they’ve had too many experiences of feeling dismissed, stereotyped or misunderstood. 

This is why cultural safety is a core clinical responsibility for all health professionals. 

It’s not just ‘nice to have’ or a competency to tick off; it’s directly linked to whether First Nations patients feel safe enough to seek care, complete rehab and trust your advice. 

If you’re committed to improving health equity, you need to commit to cultural safety.

Your responsibility as a physiotherapist 

Creating culturally safe workplaces isn’t an Aboriginal responsibility; it’s the responsibility of all those working in that space. 

As a physio, cultural safety should shape how you: 

• greet and welcome patients
• take histories, especially around family and community
• approach pain and injury management
• involve family, community and support networks in rehab plans
• respect different ways of communicating. 

Cultural safety and being culturally responsive require you to understand your own cultural lens because, whether you realise it or not, your culture, your biases and your world view shape the care you provide. 

Reflecting on this is uncomfortable for many clinicians but it’s essential work. 

You must be courageous enough to not only reflect on but challenge your own biases. 

It must be purposeful; it must be taken seriously. Often, institutional clinicians are learning from reinforced bias. 

This takes humility and it is real work but it must be done. 

Practical tips for cultivating cultural safety in your clinic 

Here are some simple but powerful ways you can start embedding cultural safety into your everyday practice: 

Build relationships, not just appointments. Cultural safety starts before the first treatment session. Take time to build trust and rapport. Ask about the patient’s community and family— relationships are central to health for many of us. 

Ask—don’t assume. Not all Aboriginal patients want the same things from their care. Some might want their family involved; others might prefer private one-on-one sessions. Ask what makes them feel comfortable. 

Use strengths-based language. Avoid deficit thinking—phrases like ‘high risk’ or ‘complex case’ can unintentionally reinforce stereotypes. Instead, recognise the strengths Aboriginal patients bring: resilience, deep knowledge of their bodies and strong family support. 

Create visibly safe spaces. Something as simple as an Aboriginal flag sticker at your front desk or posters featuring local Elders can send a powerful message that your clinic values Aboriginal people and culture. 

Know your history. Cultural safety isn’t possible without truthtelling. Learn about the history of Aboriginal health in your region— how colonisation, policies like the Stolen Generations and ongoing racism shape health outcomes today. This context matters.

Challenge racism when you see it. Cultural safety doesn’t just live in patient interactions—it’s about creating culturally safe workplaces for Aboriginal staff too. Speak up when you witness racism or stereotyping, even if it’s subtle. 

Empower Aboriginal voices. Respect that we have views on health that may differ from yours but that this does not make them inferior. Do all you can to support Aboriginal people taking control of their healthcare, with cultural values and perspectives at the centre of the approach. 

Cultural safety beyond the clinic 

Cultural safety doesn’t switch off when you leave work. 

It’s just as important in how you engage with Aboriginal people in everyday life: at the gym, in the supermarket, at local sporting clubs. 

If you only think about cultural safety when a patient identifies as Aboriginal, you’re missing the point. 

Reflect on how you talk about Aboriginal health and culture with colleagues, how you educate yourself outside of formal training and how you actively amplify Aboriginal voices, not just during National Reconciliation Week or NAIDOC Week but every day. 

My own contribution 

In my work as a physiotherapist, university lecturer and cultural safety facilitator, my focus has always been on educating non- Indigenous people on what it is that contributes to the inequitable health outcomes our communities face. 

From here, the mission is to empower non-Indigenous people to take responsibility for cultural safety while advocating for Aboriginal-led solutions. 

Through The Koori Physio, I deliver cultural safety training that’s more than just theory. It’s practical, real and grounded in lived experience. 

I use yarning circles, case studies and storytelling to help clinicians sit with discomfort, reflect on power and move from performative gestures to meaningful action. 

Moving beyond ‘cultural competence’ 

Finally, it’s important to understand that cultural safety isn’t the same as cultural competence. 

Competence is about what you know; in theory, it can be achieved and ticked off. 

Safety is about how your patients feel. It is determined by them and it is specific to the individual and their community—importantly, it is ever evolving. 

You can have all the knowledge in the world but if your Aboriginal patients don’t feel safe, you’re not delivering culturally safe care. 

A final reflection 

Cultural safety is a journey, not a destination. There’s no certificate that makes you culturally safe for life. It’s a constant process of reflection, listening, unlearning and relearning. 

If you take one thing away, I hope it’s this: cultural safety saves lives. 

When Aboriginal people feel safe in healthcare spaces, they show up earlier, they trust more deeply and they engage fully. 

That’s not just good cultural practice—that’s good physiotherapy practice.  

Jyedn Murray APAM (Wiradjuri and Ngemba) is a physiotherapist, Aboriginal health lecturer and founder of The Koori Physio, delivering cultural safety training across health, education and corporate sectors. With deep ties to his community and a passion for truthtelling, Jyedn works to ensure that Aboriginal people can access care and workplaces where they feel safe, respected and empowered to be themselves.