Mental Health Communication

Front 1

broad openings

Back 1

(therapeutic) Purpose is to acknowledge the client and to let them know you are listening and are concerned about their interests.

Front 2

giving recognition

Back 2

(therapeutic) Noting something that is occurring at the present moment for the client.

Front 3

minimal encouragements

Back 3

(therapeutic) Verbal and nonverbal reinforcements that indicate active listening to and interest in what clients are saying. Prompts client to continue with what is being said.

Front 4

offering self

Back 4

(therapeutic) A way of informing clients of care and concern. It is used to offer emotional and moral support.

Front 5

accepting

Back 5

(therapeutic) Lets client know that the nurse comprehends their thoughts and feeling. It is one way to express empathy.

Front 6

making obervations

Back 6

(therapeutic) It involves paying very close attention to the behavioral component of communication and connecting it to the affective and cognitive components. When communication is incongruous, you can comment on the inconsistency and, with the client explore the underlying meaning of the mixed messages.

Front 7

validating perceptions

Back 7

(therapeutic) Gives client an opportunity to validate or correct your understanding of what is being communicated.

Front 8

exploring

Back 8

(therapeutic) Helps client feel free to talk and examine issues in more depth.

Front 9

clarifying

Back 9

(therapeutic) Useful when you are confused about clients' thoughts or feelings.

Front 10

placing the event in time or sequence

Back 10

(therapeutic) Helps client sort out what happened to them in what order.

Front 11

focusing

Back 11

(therapeutic) Allows client to stay with specifics and analyze problems without jumping from topic to topic.

Front 12

encouraging the formulation of a plan of action

Back 12

(therapeutic) The process of helping clients decide how they plan to proceed. Avoid telling clients what they should do.

Front 13

suggesting collaboration

Back 13

(therapeutic) One technique of introducing the problem-solving process. It is an offer to help clients work through each step of the process and to brainstorm alternative solutions to their problems.

Front 14

restatement

Back 14

(therapeutic) The use of newer and fewer words to paraphrase the basic content of client messages.

Front 15

reflection

Back 15

(therapeutic) Involves understanding the affective component of communication and reflecting these feelings back to clients without repeating their exact words.

Front 16

summarizing

Back 16

(therapeutic) The systematic synthesis of important ideas discussed by clients during interactions.

Front 17

stereotypical comments

Back 17

(non-therapeutic) Indicates that the nurse care little about the individual experiences of the client and is relying on folklore and proverbs to communicate.

Front 18

parroting

Back 18

(non-therapeutic) Simply repeating back to clients the words they have used.

Front 19

changing the topic

Back 19

(non-therapeutic) Occurs when you introduce topics that might be of interest to you but are not relevant to the client.

Front 20

disagreeing

Back 20

(non-therapeutic) Denies them the right to think and feel as they do.

Front 21

challenging

Back 21

(non-therapeutic) Forces them to defend themselves from what appears to be an attack by you.

Front 22

requesting an explanation

Back 22

(non-therapeutic) Similar to challenging and usually begins with "why."

Front 23

false reassurance

Back 23

(non-therapeutic) Another way of telling clients how to feel and ignoring their distress.

Front 24

belittling expressed feelings

Back 24

(non-therapeutic) Gives the message that you have not listened carefully, that you are ignoring the importance of their problems.

Front 25

probing

Back 25

(non-therapeutic) Occurs when you fail to respect clients' decisions regarding privacy of feelings and thoughts.

Front 26

advising

Back 26

(non-therapeutic) Occurs when you tell clients what to do, preventing them from exploring problems and using the problem-solving process to find solutions.

Front 27

imposing values

Back 27

(non-therapeutic) Demanding that clients share your biases and prejudices.

Front 28

double/multiple questions

Back 28

(non-therapeutic) Ineffective because they tend to confuse clients.