Why does communication matter in Health Professions?
- Builds relationships
- Fosters trust
- Essential for ethical practice
- Creates understanding
Key Communication Approaches
| Approach | Description |
| Interviewing | Structured process for gathering information & providing guidance |
| Coaching | Collaborative process encouraging individuals & groups to build on their potential |
| Counseling | Intense personal process centred on listening & helping people develop strategies for change/ growth. |
| Psychotherapy | Professional approach addressing issues that require long term sessions for resolution |
Comparisons
Interviewing vs Coaching
Interviewing = gathering information in a structured setting
Coaching = partnership with more collaborative & creative process
Counselling vs Psychotherapy
Counselling = short-term support for change and growth
Psychotherapy = Deals with deeply entrenched issues, needing more time and specialised techniques
Essential Interviewing Skills
- Opening session with a warm tone/ explaining purpose
- Active listening & attending
- Demonstrating empathy
- Questioning & summarising
Ethical Considerations in Communication
Confidentiality & privacy
- Only share client information when necessary & with consent
- Protect client’s privacy
Informed consent
- Clients have the right to understand what is happening
- Explain the session and seek consent before starting
Cultural sensitivity
- Be aware of cultural differences & respect them
- Adapt your strategies & communication to different values
- Ensures inclusivity & respect
Limits of scope of practice
- Recognise the boundaries of your professional role
- Don’t provide services beyond your qualifications
- Protects the integrity of your profession
Opening a Session
Steps to open a session/ interview
Greet & introduce yourself
- Use names
- Eye contact and friendly smile
- Setting up atmosphere
Establish rapport
- Open body language
- Warm tone
- Open-ended questions
Set up structure & boundaries
- Outline session structure
- Discuss confidentiality & agenda
- Clarify confidentiality
- Explain note taking & data storage
- Be clear on time frame & agenda
- Be inclusive of different cultures
Clarify goals & expectation
- Invite client to share goals & expectations for session
- Be collaborative
Foundations of Active Listening & Attending
Key features of active listening
Intentional participation
- Be fully present & engaged
Hearing verbal & non verbal cues
- Pay attention to tone, facial expressions, body language
Empathic understanding
- Try to walk in the other person’s shoes
- Appreciate other people’s perspectives and feelings
Responding appropriately
- Paraphrasing
- Summarising
- Encouraging
Key Attending behaviours
- Sit squarely or at an angle
- Open posture/ uncrossed limbs
- Lean forward slightly
- Eye contact
- Relaxed body & authentic presence
- Use of touch (with caution)
Noticing Nonverbal Cues
- Discrepancies = mismatch between what someone says & their behaviour
- Expand emotional vocabulary (primary & secondary emotions)
- Be attuned to layered or hidden feelings
- Reflect back observed discrepancies nonjudgmentally
Empathy vs Sympathy
| Empathy | Sympathy |
| – Recognising feelings without judgement – Reflecting the person’s feelings and showing understanding – Offering support and presence, not just expressing pity | – Feeling sorry for someone’s pain – Expressing your own emotional reaction instead of focusing on the other person’s experience |
Steps for empathetic communication:
- Listen actively and stop internal chatter
- Use empathetic language
- Demonstrate sincerity & authenticity
- Remain nonjudgemental & respect boundaries
Common empathy pitfalls:
- giving advice too soon
- Parroting client’s words
- Asking distracting questions
- Using cliches
- Toxic positivity
- Over-identifying with client and blurring professional boundaries
Questioning Skills
Types of Questions
| Open Questions | Invite clients to talk freely in detail Helps clients feel heard “What” “How” “Could” |
| Closed Questions | Yes/ No questions Structured to elicit specific, concise information |
| Probing Questions | Explore topics more deeply or clarify details Encourage clients to expand on answers or stay focused |
Pitfalls of questioning:
- Over-questioning
- Biased questioning
- Using too many “why” questions
- Irrelevant/ intrusive questions
- Lack of empathy
Reflecting, paraphrasing & summarising
| Reflecting | Restating what client says to show understanding |
| Paraphrasing | Restating what client says in your own words to clarify meaning |
| Summarising | Pulling together key points, feelings from a longer conversation to provide clarity & direction |
Techniques for Reflecting Content & Feelings
Minimal Reflection:
- Repeating key words/ short phrases from client’s statement
- Encourages client to keep talking
- Useful in early conversation
Moderate Reflection (paraphrasing):
- Brief restatement of what the client has said using their key words
- Clarifies meaning & understanding
- Prevents misunderstandings
Reflecting Feelings:
- Identifying & naming client’s emotions
- Using feeling words & context
- Demonstrates an understanding of the emotional layer of experience
- Makes clients feel validated
Techniques for Paraphrasing
Step 1, Sentence Stem:
- Begin with phrases such as “I hear you saying…”
- Use client’s name
Step 2, Key Words:
- Use important words or phrases from client’s statement
Step 3, Essence of Message:
- Restate main idea in a brief form
- Capture the core meaning
Step 4, Check for Accuracy:
- Ask client if your paraphrase is correct
- “Is that right?”
Techniques for Summarising
When to summarise:
- Beginning –> review previous sessions
- Middle –> clarify progress
- End –> Wrap up and plan next steps
What to include:
- Key issues/ phrases
- Important emotions
- Agreed upon next steps
Checking for accuracy:
- Ask client to confirm or correct your understanding
- Foster collaboration
- “Is there anything I missed?”
Encouraging client elaboration & connection:
- Encourage clients to add anything or clarify
- Deepens the trust
Silence, Referrals, Closing Sessions
Why is silence powerful in communication?
- Gives clients space to reflect, process emotions
- Constructive silence = intentionally gives clients time to think
- Encourages deeper self exploration
Best Practices for Sensitive Referrals
Assessing when to refer:
- Recognise when client’s needs go beyond your expertise
- They might need specialised assessment or treatment
- Maintain professional boundaries
Communicating the need for referral:
- Frame referrals as a way to help them get the best support, not dismissal
- Use care & partnership language
Maintaining relationship during referral:
- Offer to help with transition
- Check in with client
- Reassure client you will still be available for appropriate support
Addressing client concerns:
- Answer client questions and concerns honestly
- Validate their feelings
Strategies for Closing Sessions
- Summarising key points
- Clarifying next steps
- Providing encouragement & acknowledgement
- Inviting final questions or feedback
- Set time for future contact
Examples of closing phrases:
| Summarising progress | Today we discussed your goals and made a plan for next steps |
| Encouraging Statement | You’ve done great progress on this today. We’re on the right track. |
| Inviting Final Questions | Do you have any last questions or concerns before we finish? |
| Clarifying Next Steps | Let’s agree on what you’ll focus on before our next meeting. |
| Setting Future Contact | Our next session will be next Thursday at 2pm- does that work for you? |
