Longevity Mentorship Series 2 Recap: Client Centred Care – Sevannah Velgakis (Paid Intern)
Hey guys! My name is Sevannah. I’m currently a part-time intern at Longevity’s lovely Ascot Vale location in Victoria, who’s currently about to finish her Master’s degree in EP.
It’s taken a while to get here but I’m almost done with my internship which is super exciting. But this also means there’s a chance I won’t see the amazing clients I’ve gotten to know really well. And I’m not sure how I feel about that. It’s a bittersweet feeling as I knew this amazing opportunity would have to come to an end. While it’s devastating that I might not be working with this team, it’s more devastating that I won’t get to see those clients that put a smile on my face, and make my day just a little bit better.
This internship opportunity has put a whole new meaning to client-centered care. Yes, we talk about this uni and placements. “Client-centred care” is thrown around all the time. But to me, it seemed so one-dimensional. I’ve learnt there are millions of ways to practice client-centered care.
I’m lucky enough to be at Longevity at the same time as their Mentorship series so I’ve had the opportunity to listen and participate in meetings focussing directly on client-centred care. I learnt some really important things, so in case you missed it, here are some of my key takeaways:
Treat the client, not the condition.
At uni, we get so caught up in pathologies and the textbook method of treating that pathology. And we get marked on how well we can memorise this content. But I can guarantee that if 2 people present with the same condition, they will need to be treated very differently. No one person will present the same, ever.
Client always comes first, period.
This is something that I’ve struggled with this week actually. Yes, we are professionals. We might think our program is the best in the world. But if the client doesn’t enjoy or adhere to it, there is no value in this program. Our job as EPs is to enhance people’s lives and empower them to be confident in their body, no matter what this looks like.
Empathy drives connection, sympathy drives disconnection.
Empathy means putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. It means recognising emotion, communicating this in a judgement-free way and showing to the client that you hear them for who they are. A skill that is incredibly hard to nail, but extremely important to client-centered care.
Hopefully, this reinforces how important client-centred care is for us as EPs.
We’d love to see you take part in our 2026 Longevity Mentorship Series!
To RSVP, please CLICK HERE!
Call us at Longevity Exercise Physiology Ascot Vale, Aspley, Broadbeach, Casey, Castle Hill, Coburg, Deagon, Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Five Dock, Gladesville, Gungahlin, Kingsgrove, Liverpool, Macarthur Campbelltown, Marrickville, Neutral Bay, Penrith, Pymble, Pyrmont, Randwick, Rhodes, Rosebery, Springfield, Yamanto today on 1300 964 002 to speak directly to one of our Senior Exercise Physiologists, or, for more opportunities, email students@longevitypt.com.au
Written by Sevannah Velgakis (Intern)