COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES
Therapeutic Communication
Response
1. Exploring
Non-Therapeutic Communication
Example
Response
“What seems to be the
Problem?”
1. False reassurance
“I am really mad at my
mother for grounding me”
2. Giving advice
“What you should do is…”
“If I were you, I would do…”
“You sound angry.”
3. Focusing
“Don’t worry, you will be better in a few
weeks.”
“Don’t worry, I had an operation just like it,
it was a snap.”
“Tell me more about…”
2. Reflecting
Example
“Give an example of what you
mean.”
3. Rejecting
“I don’t like it when you …”
“Let’s look at this more closely.”
“Please don’t ever talk about…”
4. Clarifying
5. Using general leads
“I’m not sure that I under-stand what
you’re saying”
4. Belittling
“Everybody feels that way.”
“Do you mean…?
“Why, you shouldn’t feel that way.”
“Go on…”
5. Probing
“Tell me more about your relationship with
other men.”
6. Overloading
“Hi, I am Jo Ann, your student nurse. How
old are you? What brought you to the
hospital? How many children do you have?
Do you want to fill out your menu right
now?
7. Requesting
Justification
Why? Why did you act like that?
“Talk more about…”
6. Broad opening leads
“Where would you like to
begin?”
“Talk more about…”
7. Validating
“Did I understand you to say…?”
8. Informing
“The time is…”
“My name is…”
9. Accepting
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
“Nodding”
“Uhhmm”
10. Sharing
Observation
“You appear anxious. I noticed that
you haven’t been coming to lunch
with the group.”
8. Underloading
Not giving enough information so that the
meaning is clear; withholding information.
11. Presenting reality
“I do not hear a noise or see the light
blinking.”
9. Cliches
“Gee, the weather is beautiful outside.”
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Therapeutic Communication
Response
Non-Therapeutic Communication
Example
Response
“I am not Cleopatra: I am your
nurse.”
12. Summarizing
“During the past hour, you and I have
discussed…”
13. Using silence
Nurse remains silent.
* Taken from Zerwekh and Claborn, Essentials of Nursing.
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Example