How to Talk to Patients Without Making Them Worse: A Course for Physios Who Treat Patients with Pain

Registration Deadline: March 15th, 2026

Course Location:
Online via Zoom

Course Dates:
Part 1:
Saturday March 28th
10:30am - 2:30pm EST

Part 2:
Saturday April 11th
10:30am - 2:30pm EST

Course Cost:
$160 (CAMPT Member)
$160 (PSD Member)
$175 (OD Member)
$200 (Non Member)
+HST

Cancellation Policy:
A full refund, less a $25 admin fee will be issued if a cancellation occurs more than 1 month before the start date. No refund will be issued within a month of the course start date. 

Course Description:

No matter whether your patients have issues that are acute or more persistent, this course is essential for elevating your practice as pain recognition and management is a game-changer for patient care.

We last offered this course in 2024 and it was met with great reviews:

“ Challenged me to think of the person in front of me through a full biopsychosocial lens”

“Helped me put into perspective my role as a PT in more complex pain management settings”

“Everything I expected and more”

“[Instructor Janet Holly has] great knowledgeable expertise”

The course has been carefully crafted by leading experts from the Pain Science and Orthopaedic Divisions of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, ensuring that every module is rooted in current pain research and tailored for real-world application. You’ll discover exactly how to translate the most up-to-date science into proven strategies for improving both your patients’ function and their overall experience in your care.

The interactive format sets this online course apart; you’ll dive into case studies that mirror your daily orthopaedic caseload and engage in lively discussions designed to spark your clinical creativity. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned physiotherapist, you’ll gain invaluable skills and insights that will transform how you approach patient management.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to supercharge your clinical toolkit, connect with like-minded professionals, and make a true difference in your patients’ lives.

Course Objectives

• Spot your patient’s unique presentation and master communication techniques that build trust and genuine connections, without sounding overly formal.
• Identify and swiftly address the psychosocial challenges often seen in orthopaedic practice.
• Take away at least one actionable change to your practice or habits, that you can implement your very next day in clinic.

Instructor Bio: Janet Holly (PT)

Janet graduated from McMaster University in 1991 with her Bachelor of Health Science in Physiotherapy.  In 2012, she obtained the Clinical Specialist Certification in Pain Sciences and completed a Master of Science at McMaster. Her 30 years of experience working with complex, long-term pain and acute pain complicated by other significant co-morbidities has fostered a passion in pain management. 

Janet is a Clinician Researcher at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Her current research interest is investigating the use of virtual reality as a treatment for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. She teaches nationally on the subjects of CRPS and complex pain. 

Janet is a past chair of the Pain Science Division and was an Assessor for the Canadian Physiotherapy Association Specialty Program. She is a 30-year member or the Orthopaedic Division. She has had the good fortune to be part of the faculty for the International Association for the Study of Pain CRPS working group COMPACT and a member of the International Research Consortium for CRPS. 

Questions? Email Colleen at cdorion@physiotherapy.ca