Therapeutic skills and their clinical applications

¶ … Therapeutic Relationships in Mental Health

Journal Summary Assignment

Complete this m andatory assignment.

SAVE it as docx

SUBMIT

it to your instructor from BLACKBOARD.

Review your journal entries with the aim of analyzing your learning.

Assess your development of therapeutic communication skills.

a) Analyze your own knowledge base: what areas are clear for you and which are fuzzy and need more work?

Type or paste your analysis below. You can add more space to each simply by continuing to type. You can remove unneeded white space by deleting it if you wish.

These areas of the knowledge base/these communication skills are clear to me: Listening skills, nonverbal messaging, empathetic understanding, understandable language, caring helper, genuineness.

I want to work more on these areas of the knowledge base or these skills:

Self-Reflection / self-analysis.

b) Determine how your understanding of the knowledge base guides your use of communication skills.

I apply my knowledge of therapeutic relationships and therapeutic communication by:

As a care aid, it is extremely important that I sincerely listen to those who need my help. Avoiding inserting my personal feelings and treating each situation in terms of what is best for the patient. Listening is the most important skill available to help make communication smooth and easy. Knowledge is only useful when it is properly applied.

Therapeutic Relationships in Mental Health: Journal Summary Assignment Page 1

Specific examples of my use of each therapeutic communication skill:

THERAPEUTIC

COMMUNICATION

SKILL

Situation/Context

Brief description of what is going on Client Response

Verbal & non-verbal communication before & after your communication skill

My Response

Exact verbal & non-verbal

Analysis

Based on the client's response, how effective was your skill? Provide an alternate response here prn.

Type or paste your analysis below. You can add more space to each section simply by continuing to type. You can remove unneeded white space by deleting it if you wish.

1. WARMTH/

ATTENDING

A patient needs assitance in walking.

A verbal request or other non-verbal request.

-painful face

Immediate and with care and a delicate hand.

-smile

-delicate touch

Very effective, not a difficult skill to practice.

2. RESPECT

My supervisor makes a request I disagree with.

"Please stay late and help with extra duty"

-frustrated body posture

Although I didn't want to I explained my position but volunteered my time.

-smile, do not be disgruntled

Moderately effective. I could have proposed an alternate solution that didn't involve me staying late.

3. EMPATHY

A Co worker wanted to change duties with me.

"Would you like to change ?"

-smile

-relaxed posture

"Yes, I am looking to change some work in the future and if I help you will you help me?"

-smile

Instead of trading, I should have simply accepted the request with no conditions demonstrating even more empathy.

4. QUESTIONING/

CLARIFYING

A patient wanting to know about the details of a particular treatment.

"What is this doing for my health?"

-smile

-inquisitive posture

Explaining the exact purpose of the treatment along with side effects.

-sitting down, explaining posture

Clarifying questions is useful at putting the client at ease and performing your job simpler.

5. CONCRETENESS

The demanding work schedule I must often go through.

"It is necessary to work hard every day and be consistently available."

-concerned facial expression

"Gladly"

-smile

-demonstrate that I understand

This is generally not a problem for me as I am solid and reliable in almost all cases.

6. SELF-DISCLOSURE

Patients asking me my personal opinion on a subject I do not want to discuss.

"How do you feel..."

-questioning face

-relaxed posture

"I am not sure, how do you feel... "

-questioning face

Deflecting the question about self-disclosure back to the asker is useful in not disclosing info about myself. This is a weakness for me.

7. GENUINENESS

Supervisor asking how many hours I worked for a time period.

"What did you do last week?"

-questioning face

"I worked my required hours"

-assertive posture

Lying does not pay off. Doing the right thing at work will allow the people who you care for an example to live by in their own healing.

8. IMMEDIACY

A patient had a medical emergency requiring immediate additional care.

"I think I might be dying"

-troubled face

-shaking body

"I will get help now!"

-notified family and emergency medical technicians.

The patient was having anxiety issues but I believe I handled the situation with immediate care.

9. CARING

CONFRONTATION

A fellow co worker violated policy.

"I am not going to do this procedure anymore"

-resolute disdain

"I would encourage you to follow the guidelines otherwise everyone will be hurt."

-pleading posture

The coworkers was in a moment of weakness and through my confrontation it resolved the situation.

c) Identify areas of your growth and learning for EACH communication skill presented in the Manual.

d) Identify ways you would like to develop your communication skills. (Evaluate areas of desired change).

THERAPEUTIC

COMMUNICATION

SKILL

My Growth & Learning

Focus on your strengths & how you have improved your skills here

What to Work On

Focus on what you want to improve here

My Plan

Indicate how you will continue to develop your therapeutic relationship skills

1. WARMTH/

ATTENDING

-listening. taking time to really understand regardless of my personal opinions

-aware of the healing power of touch. understand that it is important in the communication and healing processes.

-I can always be a nicer person, and help those out in a kind manner.

-Continue practicing self-awareness exercises to realize how helping out others is really helping out myself.

2. RESPECT

I've learned that all people have individual struggles that should be respected.

Often I disrespect those who do not think in the same manner as I do.

Learning more about the things I don't understand will help develop this respect for all opinions.

3. EMPATHY

The golden rule of treating others the way you would like to be treated has proved its worth to me.

Those who do not have as much material wealth as I do often do not receive enough of my empathy.

Keeping a balanced lifestyle and avoiding disagreements will help with this skill.

4. QUESTIONING/

CLARIFYING

I have become much more curious over the recent course of time. I realize the importance of understanding root issues and questioning the things I do not understand.

When a new subject comes up at work, I tend to ignore it, even though I know it will affect my day .

Developing more courage to confront my own fear of knowledge.

5. CONCRETENESS

Specific words and actions are helpful in being concrete.

I need to follow through on some of my promises to myself.

Sticking to my plan is the plan itself.

6. SELF-DISCLOSURE

Self-awareness and understanding personal motivations are helpful in fully explaining yourself and being honest towards others in self-disclosure.