Communication is the sharing of information between two people. It is important that communication works in both directions.
A communication barrier is something that prevents either person from understanding the information they are being told.
A client who is experiencing a concern may find that this experience alone makes it difficult to communicate.
They may:
- find it difficult to concentrate
- be distracted by their emotions
- have strong reactions in response to what you say
- be taking medication that affects their short-term memory
- not have the confidence to speak
- feel that they have nothing of value to say
- not feel safe
- rather be alone.
- Be uncomfortable with the surroundings
- May be forced to therapy by someone else
- They could be in a negative frame of mind
Barriers to communication can be overcome by:
- checking whether it is a good time to have a session with the client
- being clear and using language that the person understands
- communicating one thing at a time
- respecting a person’s desire to not communicate
- checking that the person has understood you correctly
- communicating in a location that is free of distractions
- acknowledging any emotional responses, the person has to what you have said.
- Not making any judgements about what the client is experiencing
- Find common ground to talk about, just chat about something else
- Make the practice room comfortable and welcoming
- Show the client you are just like them using Mirroring and common language
- Be Human, not a robot!
- Nudge the client into conversation and give them time to answer.
We also need to appreciate that clients are sometimes less communicative, which we must appreciate. It could suggest that we are yet to build a satisfactory working relationship with them and therefore the therapist needs to ensure they try harder to achieve this.
