Summary of "Relationship Development and Therapeutic Communication"
Key Wellness Strategies, Self-Care Techniques, and Productivity Tips from Relationship Development and Therapeutic Communication
Establishing Therapeutic Relationships in Mental Health Nursing
- Partner with clients rather than doing tasks for them to promote independence.
- Maintain professional boundaries while being empathetic and genuine.
- Use yourself therapeutically by consciously adapting your personality and communication style to support client growth and healing.
Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship Phases
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Pre-interaction: Prepare by researching the client and reflecting on personal biases and feelings.
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Orientation: Introduce yourself, build trust, establish rapport, and set a contract for intervention.
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Working: Implement the care plan, maintain honesty, use problem-solving steps, and monitor for transference/countertransference.
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Termination: Review progress, plan for continued coping, and reflect on the relationship ending.
Problem-Solving Model in Therapeutic Communication
- Identify client problems.
- Discuss desired changes and realistic coping strategies.
- Explore alternative strategies and their consequences.
- Help clients select and implement safe, reasonable changes.
- Provide positive, nonjudgmental feedback.
- Evaluate outcomes and adjust plans as needed.
Nonverbal Communication Tips
- Be aware of cultural differences in nonverbal cues.
- Maintain relaxed, open, and friendly posture without crossing boundaries.
- Use minimal, appropriate touch.
- Use neutral facial expressions and adjust eye contact based on client comfort.
- Control vocal cues (pitch, speed, volume) to support communication.
Therapeutic Communication Techniques
- Use silence to allow client reflection.
- Show acceptance and positive regard without judgment.
- Offer yourself and broad openings to let the client lead the conversation.
- Use general leads to encourage continuation.
- Place events in time sequence to clarify understanding.
- Make neutral observations (e.g., “I noticed you cut your hair”).
- Encourage clients to describe perceptions and compare past experiences.
- Restate and reflect to confirm understanding.
- Focus and explore topics gently without probing or forcing disclosure.
- Seek clarification and validation when client communication is unclear.
- Present reality and voice doubt carefully to challenge hallucinations or false beliefs.
- Formulate action plans to reduce client anxiety and increase control.
Non-Therapeutic Communication to Avoid
- False reassurance, belittling, rejecting, giving advice, probing, defending, or requesting explanations in a way that makes clients defensive.
- Agreeing/disagreeing or approving/disapproving (judgmental responses).
- Making stereotyped comments or using denial.
- Introducing unrelated topics to avoid difficult subjects.
Providing Feedback
- Give honest, descriptive feedback focused on specific behaviors, not the client’s character.
- Make feedback timely, specific, and aimed at behaviors the client can change.
- Avoid evaluative or judgmental comments.
- Use feedback to help clients modify behavior and improve interpersonal skills.
Active Listening Skills
- Sit facing the client with an open posture.
- Lean forward slightly to show engagement.
- Maintain appropriate eye contact without staring.
- Avoid distractions and relax to enjoy the conversation.
Process Recordings
- Written or recorded reflections on verbal and nonverbal interactions.
- Analyze what worked and what didn’t in communication.
- Reflect on personal feelings during the interaction.
- Use insights to improve future communication skills.
Presenters/Sources
- Unnamed mental health nursing educator (primary speaker)
- Hildegarde Peplau (referenced as the mother of psychiatric nursing)
Category
Wellness and Self-Improvement
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