Profile of Chantel Patricio
Profile of Chantel Patricio
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Chantel Patricio’s solo practice is dedicated to the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Toronto. As a queer woman surrounded by queer circles in her personal life, she noticed that many queer folks don’t feel comfortable in healthcare or wellness spaces. When she first started her practice, she was afraid of the backlash and harassment that might come from being publicly open about her identity and advertising her practice as a 2SLGBTQ+ space. However, she realized the importance of creating this type of space.
“I realized that the need for queer-focused care was greater than my trepidations,” Chantel said. “I needed to be explicitly clear about who I serve so marginalized folks can find me and get the care they deserve.”
Chantel has taken lots of practical steps to ensure her practice serves the queer community well. For her, this has included regularly taking 2SLGBTQ+ trainings, listening in on Trans-mentorship calls, diving into trauma-informed research as well as exploring other relevant research. She’s also invested money into her marketing by hiring a professional photographer to capture images of herself and her treatments on diverse body types, and working with a copywriter to help curate the right language to express who she works with and how she supports them.
Another important step has been investing in physical equipment that can support all bodies. She owns a custom made, extra-wide electric table, and purchased a body cushion
and extra bolsters. Last year she had a company custom make table extenders to further ensure clients with larger bodies feel supported. Finally, she donates a portion of her income every month to Rainbow Railroad and other 2SLGBTQ+ and mental health charities to funnel money back into the queer community.
She emphasized that RMTs can start small to building a more inclusive practice and it doesn’t need to be all or nothing.
“I would say that being inclusive doesn't have to be complicated,” Chantel said. “I’ve made mistakes and other fumbles, we’re all human - course correct and move forward, don’t let it deter you from working with the community you love.”
She suggests that RMTs interested in building a more inclusive practice start small by tweaking their intake forms, reading articles on trans healthcare, or listening to a queer podcast. Rainbow Health is also a good resource that has a lot of free courses that RMTs can investigate. It’s also important to try and understand the experiences of marginalized groups. Chantel feels that attempting to create an inclusive practice is part of an RMT’s responsibilities.
“I feel it’s our responsibility as professionals working directly with the public to provide the safest, most inclusive and ethical care we can,” Chantel said. “Providing anti-racist, anti-oppressive care is all part of that responsibility.”
The issues she sees in her practice are the same that she’s seen in other clinics she’s worked in – queer people are just people. However, some of her patients, especially those accessing massage therapy for the first time, have shared that they have avoided massage t therapy in the past due to fears of homophobia, transphobia and fatphobia. This is why she asks new patients to arrive a few minutes early to allot time for questions and collaboration on a comfortable treatment plan.
“I offer patients options and modifications for their treatment, so they know they have autonomy in the space,” Chantel said. “Many of my patients are living with mental health conditions, so I try to have a fundamental knowledge of various disorders in order to support them.”
Dedicating her practice to the 2SLGBTQ+ community impacts Chantel’s relationship with other health professionals. She wants to ensure she is referring patients to other health professionals with similar mindsets for focuses, because she wants to ensure her patients will feel comfortable where she is sending them. She does a lot of research before making referrals, which helps her connect with other health professionals who focus their practices on the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
“I’ve had the privilege of connecting with other 2SLGBTQ+ professionals in the city which has been uplifting and exciting,” Chantel said. “Working with, and following the work of some of these other professionals has helped me learn so much and keeps me accountable on my level of education.”
Chantel noticed that 2SLGBTQ+ people often don’t feel welcome or safe enough to get the care they deserve, so she focused her practice on ensuring they could get the support and care they need, feeling safe and comfortable while they get it. She hopes that more RMTs are interested in making their practices more welcoming to the 2SLGBTQ+ and invites anyone interested in learning more and discussing how you can make your practice more inclusive to contact her at chantel@haventherapeuticmassage.com .