Therapeutic Communication: Developing Professional Skills

Therapeutic Communication: Developing Professional Skills by Knapp, Herschel. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781412937740.

Written in a clear and concise style, this jargon-free text provides student clinicians with the practice principles and fundamental communication skills used to facilitate effective therapeutic communication with clients. Organized into discrete sections to highlight one skill at a time, each chapter follows a unified format including an overview of the skill (e.g., empathy, reflection, validation, etc.); rationale for use; exemplary dialogue between therapist and client demonstrating actual usage of the skill; tutorial commentary embedded in the dialogue example; dialogue debriefing; and suggestions for variations. Key Features: Delineates the multidimensional differences between social relationships and the realm of the professional clinician: Students are given direction in terms of applying standards such as boundaries, ethics, regulating self disclosure, legal aspects, and client self determination. Offers dialogue boxes and role play exercises: These resources illustrate the multiple uses of each skill and allow students to practice the skill sets presented. Discusses the process of balancing objectivity and empathy: Emotional dynamics are discussed along with transference, countertransference, self awareness, and termination. Provides a transcription of three 50-minute sessions: These transcripts demonstrate the essentials of clinical skill integration, short-term therapy, and termination. Intended Audience: This supplemental text is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate clinical skills courses across the human services in the fields of Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, and Nursing. It is also an excellent resource for any professional dealing with clients in a clinical fashion.