Therapeutic Communication Techniques

THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES


Not Necessarily Verbal

1. Acceptance - Recognizing the other person without inserting your own values or judgments. May be verbal or nonverbal; with or without understanding

2. Listening - Consciously receiving the client's message. Includes listening actively, responsibly, and seriously

3. Empathy - Experiencing another's feeling temporarily; truly being with and understanding another through active listening

4. Silence - Suspending talk for a therapeutic reason

5. Neutral response - Showing interest and involvement without saying anything else

6. Eye contact - As appropriate to the client's culture


Verbal


1. Self-disclosure - Sharing personal information at an opportune moment to convey understanding or to role model behavior

2. Clarification - Putting into words vague ideas or unclear thoughts of the client. Purpose is to help nurse understand, or invite the client to explain

3. Restating - Repeating to the client the main thought he has expressed to indicate the nurse is listening and interested. May encourage the client to elaborate

4. Refocusing - Picking up on central topics or "cues" given by the client

5. Open-ended questions - Asking questions that cannot be answered "yes" or "no." Used to broaden conversational opportunities and to enable the client to communicate.

6. Incomplete sentences - Encouraging the client to continue with phrases such as "Go on…"
Focusing - Helping the client to explore a specific topic