Tag: whole health

  • The Science Behind the Therapeutic Alliance: Why Connection Drives Healing

    How can two patients with the same diagnosis and treatment plan have different outcomes in physical therapy?

    One of the most underappreciated variables in rehabilitation is the professional relationship between the patient and the provider. This relationship is called a therapeutic alliance, and it is one of the keys to success in physical therapy.

    In a world of hurried appointments and back-to-back patient loads, I built Mitchell Physical Therapy around a different idea — that you can’t truly help someone heal if you don’t truly know them.

    What Is The Therapeutic Alliance?

    The therapeutic alliance is a collaborative partnership between you and your physical therapist. You work with your therapist to set goals and decide on a treatment plan, instead of the therapist dictating what they think is the best course of treatment.

    There are three core components to the therapeutic alliance:

    • The emotional bond between the client and therapist founded on mutual respect, trust, empathy and genuine connection.
    • An agreement on goals for therapy to share a clear, mutual understanding of what you want to achieve at physical therapy.
    • An agreement on tasks needed to reach set goals.

    What Does the Research Actually Say?

    Several studies have indicated that a strong therapeutic alliance is correlated with better functional outcomes, especially in cases of chronic pain. 1,2 This means your client-therapist bond could be one of the determining factors for success in your physical therapy journey!

    Also, this client-therapist bond can carry over even after your session has finished. A 2020 study showed that a strong therapeutic alliance can improve adherence to exercises and general physical activity outside of the clinic.3 Basically, when you and your therapist work together as a team to create solutions, typically you feel more motivated to stick to the plan!

    There’s still plenty of research to be done, but the results so far have been promising!

    Why Does This Gets Lost in Traditional Healthcare Settings?

    Unfortunately, in today’s medical system, there are many barriers to forming a true therapeutic alliance. High patient volume, short appointment times, insurance-driven care models can all make you feel like a cog in the machine. It can be extremely difficult for overworked providers to put the full strength of their empathy and caring into each patient interaction.

    At Mitchell Physical Therapy, we take the time to get to know you and your challenges. You are the expert of your own life, so we strive to work with you as a co-captain to navigate your hurdles. The more involved you are with your therapy, the better your outcomes!

    What Does a Strong Therapeutic Alliance Actually Looks Like in Practice?

    Ok, so we know that a strong therapeutic alliance is a good thing. It can improve functional outcomes and pave the way towards success in your physical therapy journey. But what does it look like in real life?

    In each session, you will see a few indicators of a developing therapeutic alliance. Your physical therapist will:

    • Practice collaborative goal setting
    • Adjust the plan based on your feedback
    • Create psychological safety (active listening, no judgement, clarity, consistency) so you feel comfortable being honest
    • Take time to understand your full story, not just your chief complaint

    With this PACT in place, you can be sure your physical therapist is working towards building that alliance. Lean in and work with them to get back to doing the things you love!

    What Does This Mean for Your Recovery?

    The research has shown that the client-therapist bond is important for reaching your goals. It’s important to find a provider who prioritizes this alliance. If you feel unheard in your sessions, or uncomfortable to voice your opinions about your treatment plan, it might be time for a change.

    Recognize the difference between feeling like a cog and feeling like a person! You deserve to be treated as the expert of your own life. We’re here to help you reach your goals, but you’re always in the driver’s seat.

    At Mitchell Physical Therapy, we believe healing starts with being truly heard. If you’re ready for a different kind of care, we’d love to connect.

    References:

    1. Kinney, M., Seider, J., Beaty, A. F., Coughlin, K., Dyal, M., & Clewley, D. (2020). The impact of therapeutic alliance in physical therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review of the literature. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 36(8), 886–898. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2018.1516015
    2. Paulo H. Ferreira, Manuela L. Ferreira, Christopher G. Maher, Kathryn M. Refshauge, Jane Latimer, Roger D. Adams, The Therapeutic Alliance Between Clinicians and Patients Predicts Outcome in Chronic Low Back Pain, Physical Therapy, Volume 93, Issue 4, 1 April 2013, Pages 470–478, https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20120137
    3. Andrew J Moore, Melanie A Holden, Nadine E Foster, Clare Jinks, Therapeutic alliance facilitates adherence to physiotherapy-led exercise and physical activity for older adults with knee pain: a longitudinal qualitative study, Journal of Physiotherapy, Volume 66, Issue 1, 2020, Pages 45-53, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphys.2019.11.004

  • What To Expect At Your Initial Visit

    You did it! You booked your evaluation at Mitchell Physical Therapy! Now what?

    It can be intimidating to start any new journey, so this post is designed to help ease any worries by walking you through your first visit.

    Before your first visit, you will receive a few standard forms to fill out. This includes general demographic information, as well as our informed consent and financial policies. Please fill these out before your visit to save time! We will review the information on these forms before we begin to ensure everyone is on the same page.

    Photo by Paico Oficial on Unsplash

    After reviewing your forms, we will start talking about everything. We’ll go over your medical history, your current functional limtations and everything else in between. Once we have a good idea of what’s happening, we will move on to the physical examination.

    The physical examination includes a full body assessment with a focus on any areas of concern. You will be asked to move in various ways and perform a number of functional tasks. We will take measurements as a baseline to refer back to when we do a re-evaluation later.

    Photo by Alina Rubo on Unsplash

    Then comes the fun part! We will have a conversation about the game plan to get you back to doing the things you love! This is a conversation, not a lecture! Questions are encouraged and I will ask questions in return. The goal is to create a customized treatment plan together that is SMART: specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

    This comprehensive initial evaluation will take between 60-75 minutes.

    Our approach emphasizes active, hands-on treatment with minimal passive modalities, ensuring optimal patient engagement and results. We place high value on patient education, dedicating time each session to answering questions and providing gentle teaching to ensure understanding.

    All treatments take place in a private, confidential clinic space within a residential setting, where your privacy and comfort are our top priorities.

    If you have any questions prior to your evaluation, please reach out!

    See you soon!

  • The Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine: A Practical Framework for Long-Term Health

    If your goal is to stay strong enough to hike the mountains, paddle the lake, lift confidently, and keep up with your family for decades, health has to be built on more than occasional workouts.

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  • Lifestyle Medicine and Why Physical Therapy Is a Critical Piece of the Puzzle

    If your goal is to stay active, capable, and independent for decades—not just manage symptoms as they appear—Lifestyle Medicine offers a powerful framework.

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tara@mitchellphysicaltherapy.com

(774) 363-8305

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