The Intouchables Revisited: Shifting Perspectives With our Dynamic Society
We present our first set of paired articles—the previously published The Intouchables–A Reflection on Disability and Caregiving: Who Helps Whom? and a new piece, Intouchables Revisited: Shifting Perspectives With our Dynamic Society, both by Dr. Sarah Caston. The author re-visits her previous article with a fresh perspective.
On her own journey to revisit this piece, Caston invites us into this “space of curiosity,” to question our long-held presumptions, and rethink words like independence, autonomy, and flourishing. She asks us to ponder what it means to “relinquish…our power in order to empower.” We present both her original review and her current commentary together, to observe the process of critical thinking–and re-thinking–and to perhaps prompt us to do so in our own work.
Editorial: “What is Given May Be Gained”
“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”
Simone Weil (February 3, 1909–August 24, 1943).
Doing Healthcare Research Differently: An Introduction to SocioHealthLab’s Special Video Series, Part 2
The SocioHealthLab “is a research collective of health and social science researchers, practitioners and students from Australia and around the world, striving for healthcare transformation through applied, justice-oriented, theory-driven, creative and collaborative socio-cultural research.” In this final video installment, authors share their creative works that range from a “poetic meditation navigating” life with aphasia to “healthcare related to sex and intimacy in the disability space.”
Three Poems: Lost in Translation
In this series of three striking, spare, and emotionally authentic poems, Marta Tymchenko provides thoughtful insights into three different perspectives on a clinical encounter. What is lost in translation when a loved one needs to interpret thoughts between the patient and the doctor?
Accommodating Students With Disabilities in Professional Rehabilitation Programs: An Institutional Ethnography Informed Study
In this enlightening study, 11 educators and 4 staff members from one Canadian university were interviewed about their work of accommodating students with disabilities in their occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs. The authors identify a “false dichotomy” that places the needs of these students in opposition with some of the professional requirements of a practicing clinician—and suggest some solutions.
“Turn Your Cameras On”
Physical therapy students nationwide are grappling with an unprecedented change in the educational system: forced remote learning of a hands-on profession. In this amusing and thoughtful essay, Noah Watson describes how experiencing one course—and witnessing its caring instructor addressing students’ frustrations—taught him the crucial importance of “empathy, patience, and compassion” in the healing process.
Resources: Finding Joy and New Perspectives
In this issue’s Resource section, Madison Beasley and Nela Handac provide a thoughtful list of resources curated to spark joy and lead to new perspectives. Offering options from a variety of multimedia sources, these engaging pieces serve as a reminder of the important role of tending to our well-being and fostering joy and creativity.
Implementing Expressive Writing in Outpatient Physical Therapy Clinics: Connecting Theoretical Foundations With Practical Strategies
This extensively-researched article presents a compelling argument for encouraging physical therapy patients to put their thoughts and feelings into writing. The authors argue that while empathetic verbal exchanges are fundamental to the rehabilitation process, simply encouraging patients to write—by using short answer prompts or other methods suggested here—can produce deeper insights that help improve treatment and outcomes.
Call for Submissions: Journal of Humanities in Rehabilitation Physical Therapy Student Essay Contest
Physical Therapy Student Essay Contest In collaboration with the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy Download the article (PDF) The Journal of Humanities in Rehabilitation (JHR) advocates for the importance of the humanities, ethics, and professionalism in physical therapy education practice because excellent clinical practice requires the ability to make meaningful connections with patients and […]
Ease in Motion: Rehabilitation Inspired by Science, Guided by Art
Download the article (pdf) Table of Contents Although I am a formally-trained developmental biologist and scientific researcher, I am also an avid appreciator, and sometimes practitioner, of visual art. My current work leverages the overlap between science and art to empower trainees from underrepresented backgrounds in their fields. This professional interest grew from my graduate […]