Language, labels and the stories we tell about people
Words shape reality – especially in health and care.
This session explores how **language, labels and professional shorthand** influence how people are seen, treated and understood. We’ll look at the unintended consequences of diagnostic, deficit‑based and system‑friendly language – and what happens when we consciously shift the narrative.
We’ll explore:
* How language subtly reinforces power and assumptions
* The difference between clinical accuracy and human truth
* When labels help – and when they trap
* Small language changes that make a big relational difference
For anyone who’s ever thought: “That report is accurate… but it doesn’t feel like the person I met.”