Communication Clinic #2– Is It Ok To Use Clinical White Lies?

Welcome to this new type of episode where I take other clinicians communication queries and discus them to help fellow clinicians with similar dilemmas. If you’ve got questions that you’d like help with (and are happy to be recorded) then do let me know!

On this episode I am joined by Suki, who is a Physiotherapist originally from Serbia and now working in the USA, we discuss:

(00:00:00) – Introduction

(00:02:07) – Can We Use Clinical White Lies? & Cultural Differences

(00:18:30) – How To Manage Cultural Expectations For Passive Treatment

(00:24:00) – Chunking & Checking

(00:24:46) – Where’s The Line Between A Simple Explanation And A Lie?

(200:8:30) – Addressing Difficult Beliefs

(00:34:30) – Should Clinical Discussions Change If Patients Want The Blunt Truth

(00:40:30) – Saying “I Don’t Know” In Practice

(00:43:50) – Reframing Pain Without Upsetting The Patient

(00:59:15) – What Words Has Ben Removed From Explanations

(01:04:30) – How Much Uncertainty Can We Show Before Losing Patient Confidence?

(01:06:00) – How To Stay Calm When Saying “I Don’t Know”

(01:09:50) – How Much Credit Should Clinicians Claim When Patients Improve?

(01:12:35) – How To Explain To Someone Why They Got Better

(01:15:30) - Reflections

You can see Ben at the North East Musculoskeletal Society(NEMS) Conference on Saturday 19th of September in Durham.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/north-east-musculoskeletal-conference-2026-tickets-1981008464645

If you’d like to take part in an episode or know more youcan find Ben on LinkedIn and Instagram @bwhybrowphysio or email [email protected]