Webinar Highlights: How to improve medical communication with First Nations patients
On April 9, the Restorative Practices Program (RPP) hosted a webinar on how to improve medical communication with First Nations patients. The session was led by Dr. Courtney Leary, Medical Consultant and Indigenous Health Specialist, and Tara Myran, Program Director of the RPP. The webinar focused on practical approaches to manage conversations with First Nations patients more safely and respectfully.
If you missed the webinar, you can watch it below or read the highlights.
Important Context
The RPP addresses anti‑Indigenous racism across First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, but the perspectives and examples shared in this webinar reflect the lived experience, professional expertise, and cultural knowledge of the presenters, who spoke specifically about First Nations contexts in Manitoba. The webinar is not intended to generalize to all First Nations, nor to Inuit or Métis peoples, whose histories, cultures, and experiences are distinct.
About the presenters
Tara Myran is First Nations from Long Plain and Sandy Bay First Nation and walks in both Dakota and Ojibwe traditions. She emphasized that the insights shared during the webinar are grounded in personal lived experience, education, and professional practice, and do not represent all First Nations peoples or Indigenous Peoples more broadly.
Dr. Leary is First Nations, from Norway House, Manitoba. She grew up in Norway House and has worked there for almost 12 years. She has practiced in Thompson, Sagkeeng First Nation and currently, in Brokenhead First Nation. Her practice is, intentionally, almost 100% First Nations.
One of the most practical and well‑received section of the webinar was a list of ways to practice humility when working with First Nations patients.
Defining Humility
Participants were encouraged to reflect on humility itself, describing it as:
- Having a modest view of one’s importance, and
- The quiet confidence to recognize your own limitations, imperfections, and strengths without arrogance or pride.
Safer ways to talk about difficult topics
Dr. Leary shared practical guidance for navigating difficult conversations. Key takeaways included:
The four key practices shared are:
1. Accept that you don’t have the right to know everything
Respecting boundaries, even in the moments where you know information is being withheld, is part of honouring patient autonomy. Patients are not obligated to share every detail of their lives, histories, or experiences with you.
Ø Giving your patients time to trust you
They may be protecting themselves by not sharing all the information, rather than being deceitful or they don’t feel safe sharing all the information with you. Their experience with systems might be different than yours; you might not understand this and you might not believe them, but when they trust you, they will tell you.
Ø Don’t ask questions you are not prepared to hear the answer to
Unless you are ready, don’t go opening cans of worms if you don’t have the time or skills. That is when you might have to offer other resources.
For example, a patient visits a mental health counsellor and confides in them. The counsellor’s response was, “I’ve never heard that before.” They could not help and all they did was open up wounds for the patient, who walked away without receiving any help.
These are real fears that First Nations patients have. Unless they know they can trust you, they may not share with you in the interest of protecting themselves, their stories, and information closely.
2. Accept that you don’t have an answer for everything and that you may not be able to process all information in the moment
You may not always be able to fully understand or immediately process what a patient shares. It’s ok not to have an answer, you don’t have to know everything.
Ø Validation
If you want to validate your patient’s experience and what they’re telling you, it is a good have some phrases you can turn to so you don’t unintentionally project shock, shame, or judgement when you’re not sure how to respond.
It is important to highlight that things were put upon them. The words you use should reflect that. Trauma comes from things that have occurred where you have not had a choice.
Some suggested response phrases:
I can only begin to think of how I would have responded to that happening to me.
I don’t know what I would have done if I was in your situation.
How are you handling that?
Try to relate to them and acknowledge how difficult it is to share:
That would be hard for me to share.
Thank you for sharing with me.
Thank you for trusting me.
If you are trying to bring this into the doctor-patient relationship, try:
Is there a way I can support you?
What are you hoping I can do for you?
Sometimes people just want to share their stories or something more specific that may or may not affect their health. If you cannot help them, you can set realistic expectations.
3. Admit your limitations
- Be transparent about your limits, whether related to knowledge, time, role, or system constraints, instead of defaulting to authority or defensiveness.
- Know what you don’t know and learn to ask questions from the right people.
- Our patients can be great teachers but it is not their job to educate us on their obstacles and struggles.
- It is up to us to learn about the history of First Nations people. We can go to the communities, we can read, we can research, we can watch movies.
- It is important to keep in mind that was you learn in a book does not compare to what you learn with real life experience. Reading one book, one study, taking one training, or going to one event does not make you an expert. Keep your humility and remember there is always something to learn.
DID YOU KNOW? CPSM registrants (physicians, residents, clinical assistants, physician assistants, medical students and physician assistant students) are required to complete one of four pre-approved educational programs or an approved equivalent by October 31, 2027? Learn more here.
4. Honour your patient
Honouring the patient means recognizing their lived experience, agency, and strengths, and approaching the interaction with respect rather than judgment or assumption.
Ø Remind patients how far they’ve come
Telling patients you are proud of their progress, even if it is minimal, can mean a lot to them even if they're struggling.
Often, people just see their deficiencies and we focus on the negatives.
Ø Be mindful of centring yourself
Be prepared if a patient shares something with you and you may not be ready to receive or process that information.
If you become upset, the patient who has experienced the trauma, may start consoling you. The person who has experienced the trauma is not responsible for making others around them feel comfortable by minimizing their emotions and their feelings.
Resources
Attendees were encouraged to become familiar with local resources and referral pathways to help provide safer, more equitable care. Resources physicians can access include:
- The Non‑Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program
- Jordan’s Principle and its child‑first approach to accessing services
See: Jordan’s Principle: What do I need to make a request?
- Indigenous Health teams within the Regional Health Authorities
See: Shared Health Patient Services: HSC-based Indigenous Health Team
- The Hope for Wellness Hotline offers 24/7 culturally appropriate counselling and crisis support to First Nations people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Counselling is available in English, French, Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut, on request.
See: Hope for Wellness posters
The webinar reinforced that respectful communication is not about perfection, but participation, humility, and willingness to reflect. By listening more, acknowledging limits, and using available supports, clinicians can play a meaningful role in reducing harm and rebuilding trust with First Nations patients.
For those interested in learning more or seeking guidance, the Restorative Practices Program encourages registrants and community members to reach out for support or to explore additional learning opportunities.
Ø Contact RPP at
Phone: 204-774-4344