APA Titled Pain Physiotherapist and pain specialisation registrar Darren Doherty will discuss how to blend physical treatment with necessary 'talking therapy' elements in physiotherapy management of people with persistent pain conditions.

Join us in the APA QLD Branch office for a chance to listen to Darren speak and an opportunity to meet and mingle with other like minded Physiotherapists. A great way to meet your QLD Pain committee!

Please note this is Face to Face event in the QLD Branch office.

This blended online MHFA course has been adapted from the standard Mental health first aid course for adults. Developed in response to COVID-19.

Physiotherapists are involved in the care of people from all walks of life. One in four people will experience a mental health problem at some stage in their life plus c Comorbid mental health problems are common amongst people who access physiotherapy services including but not limited to those experiencing chronic pain, chronic physical illness, multiple pain areas or following a traumatic event. In Australia, approximately one in five adults will experience mental illness in any given year and physiotherapists and other health care professionals can expect to have close contact with someone experiencing a mental illness or a mental health problem.

Lack of knowledge and stigmatising attitudes about mental illness may prevent people from seeking help or providing appropriate support because they do not know how. Stigmatised attitudes and lack of knowledge about mental health conditions are not limited to the general public and can impact on healthcare workers interactions with patients. Stigmatising attitudes can reinforce disempowerment, loss of self-belief and a sense of shame in the person with comorbid mental health problems.3,4 It has been suggested that training of healthcare workers in mental health literacy is essential to ensure appropriate support and referrals are made for people with mental illness.5 This MHFA course will improve mental health literacy of physiotherapists.

It has been suggested that training of healthcare workers in mental health literacy is essential to ensure appropriate support and referrals are made for people with mental illness. This MHFA course will improve mental health literacy of physiotherapists.

This blended learning course consists of three components:

• 7hrs of self-directed online learning. This is to be completed prior to attendance at:
• Two (2) x virtual (Zoom) classroom sessions, both of which are 2.5hrs in length

Please note:

• Due to the strict limited capacity of this course, a participant will need to commit to the two virtual (Zoom) classroom sessions of the particular course iteration in which they register. If, for any reason a participant is unable to attend one of the two Zoom sessions of the course in which they register, they will be required to register and pay the full registration fee at the next course iteration and make up that session.
• Two weeks prior to the first virtual classroom session, you will be sent a link to the 7hrs of self-directed learning.
• Virtual classroom login instructions including a Zoom link will be sent to registrants on the day of each of the virtual classroom sessions.
• This is an interactive course which requires your participation. Therefore during the Zoom sessions you need to be in a suitable setting with your video and audio turned on.
• It has been noted through previous iterations that the online content and online manual accessible from the MHFA website does not work effectively on iPads and other handheld devices. It is recommended that you use a desktop or laptop to complete this component of the course.

This professional development session will be a clinically relevant, detailed exploration of empathic communication in the physiotherapy context.

In late 2020, Dr Claire Ashton-James held a webinar lecture titled: 'Beyond Trust and Rapport' which clearly outlined the significant benefits of empathic communication for patients and clinicians. This 2021 presentation seeks to extend practising physiotherapists' knowledge about how to communicate empathically.

Physiotherapy specific skills for incorporating empathy will be described and demonstrated with video examples. These components of empathy in physiotherapy include: verbal expressions, body language, facial mimicry, and the use of touch.

The importance of understanding ourselves in order to provide empathy to others and how to avoid compassion fatigue will also be explored in an interactive manner.

Please note: This is a live webinar. Login instructions including link details will be sent to registrants on the day of the event. If login instructions are not received by midday on the day of the lecture, contact us on vic.pd@australian.physio.