Meet Jodie Capell, a PT at Frank Tobey in Tacoma, Washington. Read on to learn more of Jodie’s story.
- One thing you cannot tell just by looking at or speaking with me is…
That this mature, confident therapist lives in fear of having “THE” conversation with patients. Fearful of threatening the therapist-patient relationship, fearful of making them uncomfortable, fearful of putting myself into a vulnerable situation. “What does your husband do for a living?” they ask. Option 1: Lie by omission. “Physical therapy.” Option 2: Be vague. “My spouse is a physical therapist.” Option 3: Tell the whole truth. “My wife is a physical therapist.”
- This is important for me to share because…
As a lesbian growing up and being educated in the Bible Belt, it never occurred to me that I may not be serving myself, my patients or my profession well by going back into the closet daily at work to avoid conflict. I assumed that this discomfort was due to my age, my southern upbringing and I hoped, having become spoiled by living in relative safety among the liberal and accepting of the Upper Left Corner (PNW), that the younger generation of health professionals was not being burdened by this concern. That is until recently when I read an editorial written by Gail Jensen, PT, PhD, FAPTA on a paper titled, “An Exploration of the Experiences of Physical Therapists Who Identify as LGBTQIA+: Navigating Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Clinical, Academic, or Professional Roles,” by Ross et al in Physical Therapy, 2022;102:1-3. Dr. Jensen writes a compelling commentary and leaves us with a very important question that begs to be examined: “Is the physical therapist’s identity always secondary in the provision of patient-centered care?” I don’t know the answer, but I am happy to be working for a company that encourages us to question.
- I share my culture at work by…
Being myself, of which being gay is only a small part of who I am. I am out to my co-workers and share freely my experiences as a lesbian daughter, sibling, wife, mother, and physical therapist.
You can get involved with this project too! If you are interested in sharing a little of your story, click here. After two years of masks, we’d love to see your faces! If you feel comfortable, please add a picture of yourself. Do you work with someone who inspires/encourages/influences your personal growth? Nominate them for the Infinity Influencer Cultural Corner spotlights by emailing Hoku Okumura or Byrony Treser.
