Developing Habits of the Heart: 22nd Polly Cerasoli Lecture

I am so blessed and honored to be in your presence today and to honor Polly Cerasoli. I want to express my deepest appreciation to her family for making this afternoon possible and honoring everything Polly meant to our profession. I also want to thank my predecessors who wove such a wonderful tapestry in tribute to Polly and to our collective efforts to improve physical therapy education. I hope I can add a beautiful new pattern to what they have woven, and that our successors do the same. I would not be standing here today without the love and support of my family, many of whom were able to join me today: my mother, Norma, and my sister, Lane, 2 of my 3 sons, Matt and Adam, and my daughter-in-law, Anita, and my grandson, Ashwin. My oldest son is a high school basketball coach, so you know why he isn’t here. To my dear wife, Deirdre, I love how we take care of each other—more about her in a minute. I want to thank my colleagues at Samuel Merritt University who spearheaded my nomination and to those of you who wrote letters of support—I truly appreciate your support and confidence in me. Particular thanks go to Nicole, Elizabeth, and Gail for pushing me harder—in a good way. Thank you! As I was practicing for today with Deirdre, she kept telling me: “I want to hear ‘Why is this important to you?’ and ‘How did you get you here?’” So, in honor of Deirdre's persistence, I will share that story. There are only 5 stops along the way. I will make it brief. Although it really starts with family, I am going to start with the physical therapy school at Stanford in 1975. There were many characteristics of that program that made it an exemplar of excellence, but one was its emphasis on leadership, teamwork, holistic care, and the importance of interpersonal communication with patients. Kay Shepherd, who gave the first Cerasoli lecture in 1998, was one of the faculty members and an early mentor. I heard the echoes of her voice as I was preparing for today. What a genuine honor to follow in Kay's footsteps, 21 years later. I had the honor of working with Peter Edgelow in our practice in Hayward, California. Peter taught me to be present with patients about careful, attuned listening, and of putting their stories at the forefront. He said, if you listen carefully, they will tell you what to do. Peter was also my best friend, and sadly, he passed away this summer. Another person instrumental in today's talk is Cindy Moore. Many of you knew Cindy. She was a physical therapy educator. In fact, her first faculty position was at Stanford when I was a second year student there. She and I were together for nearly 8 years. Cindy opened my heart to trust myself and to honor our spiritual selves as teachers and learners. She taught me to envision the best possible outcome for all concerned and to make expectations Cindy said, have all the you we her to in but she was with me of the way. I have at Samuel Merritt University for as an in the second year of the is such a to have with physical therapy that the Samuel Merritt University made a to a care to our who are in I have so the and who are to our it was my and colleagues on the and in for the Gail and What an to the to in our and to with this of was the that me to all of my about the importance of of the There are 2 physical who you are going to who me their stories and me to share with not be she is of the Stanford on that is on the at the as this lecture today. not get to their is who is here. of the of is that they have a that is of to to improve the a on our and are the to what it to be a physical their in the of we have the of the and of what it truly to be a of a so that we can our and to the of the the and the it is the of the heart that the but the to our and be of to I will on the of the what they and how we to the they and the I at the of today's I want to have a to do what it to physical who will the and to our that our 3 important of the for the is that are 3 that the for the of a of a the of the the of the the and the that in this of the in they to a physical the of the to the and of the in the of in this of the in they the practice of the profession. the of the the of the that our and to and to is one of the in the student a physical her with in the of the of the heart is an that together and with the in in this of the heart in the student what it truly to be a of the a of and a of our to the and we There are that my are not with a of their their and why they want to be a physical of and of that the in our profession. we an that the of will only our but the is we have a to honor each student and all of the they I want to you to the 2 physical who have me share their stories with I first when she was a She in practice a is what she me about the start of her had of going physical therapy at I and and and a of I did for 2 is not who knew she to be a physical the she was She in and the made for a in and at a and was her in and she physical to go I had a and my was a at the that I I was I can of I knew a of who had was really in and with to to the she this and she a to and As you will hear 2 she her to of will she her physical therapy education. I also the first when he was a student at He in practice a years. As a to her physical therapy and in what he he had an and a is that and my is going to my and I was as good as this really made a on my What it take to get this and have this of on and this and will to first year in In what he first was in a the were in He that not it was in an but he it would be for as a new is what he about first in have my education. is going to be I was to with my patients first of all they were a what I had with and what my the the I was taught did not to be making a is to me how with patients and as he to isn’t the in our that and are to be of the and the of the faculty are the What I to today is that of the heart is the of person in and that There is program as our of the best and have to and There are and that are in those in our were My hope is your program is in its you of and today. Although not student is going to to in our to on the they they have a about what our to be to what it to be a of our with and also to have the and to to our to are the that make their so if a for of a it is important that we get the and are in fact, are and to that at and in was a I was and that I and do the of a care a of her of practice as a physical I an would be the that me. I my My of wonderful we it was not I was a but with this So, at that I what is going What be an and he is not as as he to What he He going on What I do He is as the He is not the patients. He did and and a me to our are my about what we the 3 of our we what of are we to and that are the heard of their how they their if they a are we a of how we will What about we have a of the of and what to the we do we the and of to practice and What do we when we the in our and improve the in care can be can be and and it is about 2 who one in and one with What will it take to what it to be of the a physical I will of the heart to our but I am going to do it in a I will start with on to the and with are the I have about we have a of the of and what to the we do we the and of to the of our practice and What do we when we the in our and is the of the the of and that to the its is the of the is our to and care, our efforts are to make the to our to me that the of and are it is but is that it a for 3 in the of the a on and the on the of their of the and in and and the and to a and of care to the an to with and to her to and with the a to the of but they are about physical therapy and physical in and how our that is a a person of how and one and how for the person who and a me a to and how I What about the of the with and who the and I that There is that we the and that make to when they our as in so that they can in their in are possible and is one of in it who that person is and what is is we the who our at the of our we the with as to be in a and with the of and the is your but to is the of your are about to are about you are going to be are about on the for your are about in your the in the for is a to that he me to is a for and with a for our and on in practice and in how we and about As I about I about the of to our in the of in physical was our are the of and of a the and that we you of of in and the in our as as have There is a a and a that the and of the profession. There is also a in of for the are In our of and in physical we and in and with the as the of the of teachers and and the of also that the and of was that this of the of our made 3 to how we our our have it of our make that and what do we in as I will the it the of and it the as the person in and with that to be 3 and our on how to and so that of of and to be in the of and in the of in its to be about this in and we are about physical who are in is to be to high of and to of the and of the of the heart to the of the physical therapy and in that it is a a in a in the in the that the of interpersonal communication and of care, but Although I the I it so that I can can we that and our and the of and and how they with and and the of and to the of the person and the of in that and the and in the importance of and in about the of the of that the of of the to of and the of the person and make and and and the and that are in the and those to the of to that person of In of the heart the and of in to the of the heart that our I will the improve the is my What will it take to what it to be of the a physical In an in the wrote about as in the care who are about the of and and of with the of not able to their of with they to the of the of to to a care that is a to practice in a when we have so many not for an is to really be to how to my and what I to do in physical therapy also to practice who in practice 2 the of practice and her tell about their with who are on physical and are on the and have with and physical to with a that not support their and the of patients and what are of tell the about and that is also of are on a we to improve the also the to have the with our colleagues and and are on the and to our patients and can go a to about our patients and the in the early of the of in to those of on is that a patients can to and as about how we the of and communication a if you the of and the physical and the is a had this to my my education. a the is in and the patients are to do what they are when they are and how they are I the that our the he about the as a the of the physical about her practice are that of the who and the we are in the of practice that can be with care in is what had to about one of her who was had one was really how to be a the patients and and and first she and our are the that I wrote for you on what we What do you about you a that with that a that you want to made a on She the importance of that with that this was the her I am not an of our but a to a and In a care, important we to appreciate the stories about their what it to and how their and to their we can a of what to we our to one and our to express is how practice My have I today. I really heard my patients I really they are as my of my patients what is going on with would be a to be I for a you are when I I be on to here. the that in a of and to be in communication of and on their of such as In it can to when you are and to it what if the person who the with one of those that your they are What if the person your about for To add you are working with a student who is to how and you student is and the is that you will that of the heart to improve the the here are in the importance of making our to in and a for the and the to who with to practice and of in My and dear friend, in her did a the importance of and I will 3 to of the heart and the our with patients and and and to to a of I we an to that express and for the of about what is to the we I that it can be going to at that in the of and the and of I am going to to and I and for here. the of that he and the of that he how a as as such as person is and and and in this of and we can the of in and of our did not the of the in we he it is in we one in that the of our I am to and and in we truly and patients as in with and in the of their the of our to and to we have to about their and as as about their and when he with patients who have in an what in of the physical I in that a a was not my of and how is when making the for as to the care and that a to our with patients who the of that in the we have an to the our and of our is an in care, a with we are to care for the person who our we are as in our as physical to with of the we are are also on to with and but we have the of and the to make this so to care is not about is not about me. is about this person we a the of and with the the of the in the of the heart and the is and in on the that is a we make in our with patients we importance to what we the our away the so we can the we our and the the her with this my I do of their if you are working with their it you are not as able to be as She is a in education. What we to important and and we to make those with learners. the that is for He as an for and for I to was the first person to how and In care, to know what the person the that not with be and going what he that he with in to to to to and to to to to There is a of I have not As we I he was and I that so I He that he was for In he it to the that he and to and of to be so are to you have not it is to that of the heart in to the of with the care of patients with and without of what we the and and about their and as as about their and is in my years of and what we know about is that we to make our and the of our to in all of and about In a of that the important was that the are not our also we have for also to at the so our collective is our of practice to not only is and are but we that will and our patients. As we can take the to and in we express of the heart and improve the on to a of 3 and is not and our efforts have to in all 3 if we are to be My about are as What of are we to and are we a of how we will I have about of the heart in to and the and I will talk about it in to I am going to start telling a of is a of and at of She is a for and in the She is and of her is her to stories and to about She a on the of the To the I would to the and the is such a good that a do it to our and a of our as physical the of and a of our as physical and a of our as physical the of a of our as physical the and that and that to the of the of good a of our as physical of the lecture with the first 3 and to the 2 those 2 we can your is that of our to one and if I this is our and our your is that of the of to our patients the best care the physical the in their this is our As our patients will not be as to improve the and if we do not make this our your is if the who have to get to our and and to the it is for our and the it is for I that we have to be concerned with and of our our and our on have to be of the to is what had to about the of of really as the the story. stories patients were to me with the that we to get I as a care with this and can my voice to make not the of and and he made the that the are as a physical do we start with the who in physical therapy education. have to start we have a with in the physical therapy 3 on the in who as of with those who as of for and 2 and 2 and all of those who as 2 with of of in the is the of of in the and as one who to who are is when one at the for each in of is and in the years. I a when I this a is that we have in that of of all and and and and in the that the of high school is the that our and our to if we do not person can is this a person make a that if is and the and in the that I we can are 2 In a in know that and are to to those to that preparing who are is but not to the care of the with our we to that how to an of physical in and how to the of we in is what for her be in a of of the I have are in of and of physical of of who are patients and their of physical is the of that will her and program and to their student What we not to be a of a of and is but it is not the I am we to I am a that is making it the There is that our our our our our and our profession. know that of are in physical therapy and do not know if with in the a of are in our profession. also do not know if who in who are the first in their family to who are are in our profession. to those of and we about what to our and to the we and who the and to There are 2 the that this take a to and and practice for the to have a on the of and of make an to the of and I will how the can take a at the is a that we have to we all of the for our of on that is we that our to our and the who our is on and and practice therapy to our in so our our program to how they will holistic that My is that are faculty members who to efforts to your student to the do the you have not the and and and the of is “I why that and go you the is that it is on you have the it will not be and faculty and are to a for in physical therapy of who are is a of that I had in a physical therapy my first as a physical therapy I that we make one but if you are you they are of your faculty its on and in the you have that who to practice in who have a of is to have and the have a to holistic and we can to our colleagues in for on how we can is a of good is a of in in the are and are to the to to the that the of in a of program and As we we to that who those of are important we can do is an we do not and the is that is and that who want to can that take of the of the physical therapy program and with that support to a of and to their the of the of at Samuel Merritt me about a student of who was with she for an go to a of she was so to going to the that she would be if she did not go to the and her a that gave the student to student and of and did on the As an would also the on faculty of in the program who are to be the support for of and as a person important to be and the the who are that care the the who are and who are the is the of as a person and to the who are at the and that is at and would be a a in and of is if we are to for the to the to of the In our of in physical we many of that the As we efforts to be with the of with the of the but that was not made that were in the that to the and they of our to our and our to are in to that and is our As we have a to our the our can that important to faculty and and that will our to in education. There are our have to the of and the for a new to in an is for its of the for and for a care of 2 and in education. start with the and and the and of a of a profession. who can be who are and learners. can and and practice and to improve that and and and and on and and with members and to the and and to as we our of that the and that we the of that we the of to and that we the in the and we that and care, is a and I is a of without and and the is the of the and the of the be the of the who are at so they can in the care that we have to that is and but that to who are and also our to for that in to that to and but the of the of care and There is in care that new for how we the of and the that in 3 the and for so that can the of that the of the of the of and the on also the importance of so that we can you have not so to if you are preparing a add this to the that your is on for for in and the of with the of and for to the of for in the of with the of and for to the of the of the of and is it is if our are to be to a to one of that the of practice and a of and to in the of those and about and to to a to the of in to our and are of the heart that we if we are to to the of to who and how such as and and such as and can 5 the that in the an of that that to to and that can those of and in the of what and of and to how I with the of about we about about the a physical who is a on the made the with the in a our in a and colleagues and a that for those that and in and 5 the 8 of the and the There are the an that we for our that we can with the to the our our and our as we in our how the of care on first Many in can those so have the as did when he with and in a program that is care to can to an care if not the to and if not make to the to the that of for if this is not to a to the of and the outcome that the and the of and and with who have to of if you do not have There are also to at a There are in and that their and that are not to to and with our colleagues and can be a for as to and and are they who are for expectations and As we have a in our and your not a to who are able to our what are you will that we are our they have of the the and the their as physical if had a that our as how we our if to our it the I am a person who in the of the in our collective as for can our and our and together our are a of who we can make a of the Thank