Therapeutic Communication

THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

WHAT IS THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION?
•It is the face-to-face process of interacting
that focuses on advancing the physical
and emotional well-being of a patient.
Reference: Therapeutic Communication And Behavioral Management. (2020). Retrieved March 2, 2020, from
https://www.ncchc.org/cnp-therapeutic-communication.

WHAT IS THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION?
•Defined as the communication strategies
that support a patient's feeling of well-
being.
Reference: Therapeutic Communication: Definition, Goals, Types, And Principles. (2020). Retrieved March 2,
2020, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/therapeutic-communication-definition-goals-types-
principles.html.

WHAT IS THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION?
• It is an interaction between a nurse and a patient that
helps advance the physical and emotional health of
the patient.
• It is an active process.
• The nurse uses various strategies to help the patient
express their ideas and feelings in a manner that
establishes respect and acceptance.
Reference: Therapeutic Communication In Nursing: Types And Examples. (2020). Retrieved March 2, 2020,
from https://study.com/academy/lesson/therapeutic-communication-in-nursing-types-examples.html.

WHAT IS THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION?
• It enhances the patient's comfort levels, encourages
a feeling of safety, and increases their trust in the
nurse
- it helps the patient feel that someone truly
understands
and cares for them.
• It relies on 2 types of communication: Verbal and
Non- Verbal

WHAT IS THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION?
• In therapeutic communication, nurses provide
patients with support and information while
maintaining a level of professional distance and
objectivity
• With therapeutic communication, nurses often use
open-ended statements and questions, repeat
information, or use silence to prompt patients to work
through problems on their own.
Reference: 17 Therapeutic Communication Techniques. (2017). Retrieved March 2, 2020, from
https://www.rivier.edu/academics/blog-posts/17-therapeutic-communication-techniques/.

THE NURSE BENEFITS FROM
THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION
It helps the nurse:
establish rapport with the patient
understand where the patient is coming from
exchange valuable information,
come up with individualized health-care intervention
strategies that benefit the patient

THE NURSE BENEFITS FROM
THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION
 A nurse who practices effective therapeutic
communication also benefits from the knowledge that
they helped someone in need as a result.

17 THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION
TECHNIQUES

1. USING SILENCE
At times, IT IS USEFUL NOT TO SPEAK AT ALL
Silence gives an opportunity to think through and
process what comes next in the conversation
 It may give patients the time and space they need to
broach a new topic.
Nurses should always let patients break the silence.

2. ACCEPTING
acknowledge what patients say
affirm that they’ve been heard
Acceptance can simply be done by making eye
contact and say “Yes, I understand.”
Patients are more receptive to care the nurse listens
to them.

3. GIVING RECOGNITION
Recognition acknowledges a patient’s behavior
Example:
“I noticed you took all of your medications”
- this draws attention to the action
- it encourages without requiring a
compliment

4. OFFERING SELF
It shows that the nurse value the patients and is
willing to give the latter time and attention
Examples:
Offering to stay for lunch
Watch a TV show with the patient
Simply sit with patients for a while

5. GIVING BROAD OPENING
Let the patient direct the flow of conversation and
decide what to talk about
Examples:
“What’s on your mind today?”
“What would you like to talk about?”

6. ACTIVE LISTENING
This encourages patients to continue talking
Demonstrates interest in what the patient have to say
Acknowledging by listening, understanding and
engaging with the patient throughout the
conversation
Example:
- Nodding (non-verbal) while saying “ I see.”
(Verbal)
- “What happened next?”

7. SEEKING CLARIFICATION
This helps nurses understand what’s being said as it
helps patients process their ideas thoroughly.
Example:
- “I’m not sure I understand. Can you explain
it to
me?”

8. PLACING THE EVENTS IN TIME
OR SEQUENCE
Helps both the patient and the nurse to get a clearer
view of the whole picture
It makes the patient think about the sequence of
events.
It prompts them to remember something they
otherwise wouldn’t.

9. MAKING OBSERVATIONS
Observe the patient’s appearance, demeanor, or
behavior
- draw attention to areas that might pose a
problem
Examples:
- The patient that looks tired may explain why
they
haven’t been getting much sleep lately
- The patient that haven’t been eating much

10. ENCOURAGING DESCRIPTION
OF PERCEPTION
Ask questions in an encouraging and non-judgemental
way.
Example (patients having hallucinations):
- “What do you hear now?”
- “What does that look like to you?”
patients aare prompted to explain what they’re
perceiving without casting their perceptions in a
negative manner.Reference: 17 Therapeutic Communication Techniques. (2017). Retrieved March 2, 2020, from

11. ENCOURAGING COMPARISONS
Using Patient’s past experience to deal with current
problems
- encourage patient to make comparisons
= nurses can help patients discover
solutions
to their problems.

12. SUMMARIZING
summarize what patients have said after the fact
- the patients feels that the nurse was listening
- allows the nurse to document conversations
- Ending a summary with a phrase like “Does
that sound
correct?” gives patients explicit permission to
make
corrections if they’re necessary.Reference: 17 Therapeutic Communication Techniques. (2017). Retrieved March 2, 2020, from

13. REFLECTING
Ask patient what he thinks he should do
- encourages patients to be accountable for their
own
actions
- helps patient to come up with solutions
themselves

14. FOCUSING
The nurse focuses on important statement,
prompting patients to discuss it further
Patients don’t always have an objective perspective
on what is relevant to their case; as impartial
observers, nurses can more easily pick out the topics
to focus on.

15. CONFRONTING
Can be applied by a nurse after establishing trust
It can be vital to the care of patients to disagree with
them, present them with reality, or challenge their
assumptions
Confrontation, when used correctly, can help
patients break destructive routines or understand the
state of their situation.

16. VOICING DOUBT
Call attention to the incorrect or delusional ideas and
perceptions of patients
By expressing doubt, nurses can force patients to
examine their assumptions.

17. OFFERING HOPE AND HUMOR
Sharing hope that the patient can persevere through
his current situation
lightening the mood of the patiend
- the nurse establishes rapport quickly
- helps patient feel a more positive state of mind.

REFERENCES
Therapeutic Communication And Behavioral Management. (2020). Retrieved March
2, 2020, from https://www.ncchc.org/cnp-therapeutic-communication.
Therapeutic Communication: Definition, Goals, Types, And Principles. (2020).
Retrieved March 2, 2020, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/therapeutic-
communication-definition-goals-types-principles.html.
Therapeutic Communication In Nursing: Types And Examples. (2020). Retrieved
March 2, 2020, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/therapeutic-
communication-in-nursing-types-examples.html.

REFERENCES
17 Therapeutic Communication Techniques. (2017). Retrieved March 2, 2020, from
https://www.rivier.edu/academics/blog-posts/17-therapeutic-communication-
techniques/.

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