Chapter 7

Using Sarcasm or Employing Humor Inappropriately

"Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?" "You really fell for that line" Can be distracting - keeping the content of the session on a superficial level and interfering with mutual objectives

Advising and Giving Suggestions or Solutions Prematurely

"I suggest that you move to a new place because you have had so many difficulties here" "I think you need to try a new approach with your daughter. Let me suggest that..." Appear at points to turn off from listening to the client and seem to be engaging in an internal dialogue related to formulating a solution to concerns raised

Trying to Convince Clients about the Right Point of View through Logic, Lecturing, Instructing, or Arguing

"Let's look at the facts about drugs" "You have to take some responsibility for your life, you know?" Provokes a boomerang type effect - clients not unconvinced of the merits of the social worker's argument but may also be more inclined to hold onto their beliefs than before

Threatening, Warning, or Counterattacking

"You'd better...or else" Inhibit the natural flow of a session and limit information revealed

Reassuring, Sympathizing, Consoling, or Excusing

"You'll feel better tomorrow" "don't worry, things will work out" etc.. need to convey that they hear and understand their clients' difficulties as they experience them

Analyzing, Diagnosing, or Making Glib or Dogmatic Interpretations

"You're behaving that way because you're angry with your partner" Interpretations present a threat to clients - feel exposed or trapped

Judging, Criticizing, or Placing Blame

"You're wrong about that." "Running away from home was a bad mistake" Responses that evaluate and show disapproval can be detrimental to clients and to the helping process

If you also eliminate ineffective styles of responding and test out new communication skills

- students' fear that in relinquishing old style, giving up an intangible part of themselves - experience fear related to the fact that they have developed methods or styles of relating that have influenced and "moved" clients in the past

common verbal barriers that have immediate negative effects

1) reassuring, sympathizing, consoling or excusing 2) advising and giving suggestions or solutions prematurely 3) using sarcasm or employing humor that is distracting or makes light of clients' problems 4) judging, criticizing, or placing blame 5) trying to convince client about right point of view through logical arguments, lecturing, instructing or arguing 6) analyzing, diagnosing, or making glib or dogmatic interpretations 7) threatening, warning, or counterattacking

Stacking Questions and Using Double-Barreled Questions

Diffuses the focus and confuses clients Clients often respond superficially

parrotting or overusing certain phrases or cliches

Do not merely repeat clients words - use fresh language that captures the essence of the message

Keeping Discussions Focused on Safe Topics

Excluding feelings and minimizing client disclosure

Dwelling on the Remote Past

Helps differ regarding the amount of emphasis they believe should be accorded to gathering historical facts about clients Focusing on the present is VITAL - can change only their present circumstances, behaviors, and feelings

responding infrequently

Ignoring fruitful moments that could be explored to promote clients' growth

Failing to be Aware of Cognitive Bias

Influence how we interact with clients and require substantial self-awareness to change and address

Interrupting Inappropriately or Excessively

Must be purposeful, well-timed, and smoothly executed

Going on Fishing Expeditions (Tangential Exploration)

Pursuing content that is only tangentially related to concerns

Dominating the Interaction

Should not talk too much or ask too many closed-ended questions Can foster a one-up, one-down relationship

competence

able to recognize our errors, taking ownership of those errors and working towards improvement

stacking questions

asking multiple questions at the same time

physical attending

basic skill critical to helping process - Communicated by receptive behaviors

reactance theory

clients will act to protect valued freedoms - freedom to have one's own opinions and the inclination to action - when threatened: clients withdraw, argue, or move to superficial topic

receptive behaviors

facing client squarely, leaning forward, maintaining eye contact and remaining relaxed

leading questions

have hidden agendas designed to induce clients to agree with a particular view or to adopt a solution that social workers deem to be clients' best interest

cognitive bias

seeking out info that confirms our understanding, preferences, or perceptions while ignoring info that contradicts these biases

nonverbal cues

serve to confirm or deny messages conveyed verbally

captive clients

situation in which there is a power differential and client can not readily escape

nonverbal behavior

strongly influence interactions between people and social workers' nonverbal interview behavior contributes significantly to ratings of their effectiveness

taking inventory of nonverbal patters of responding

three-fold task 1)assess your repetitive nonverbal behaviors 2) eliminate nonverbal styles that hinder effective communication 3) sustain and increase desirable nonverbal behavior

leakage

transmission of info about feelings and responses that the sender did not intend to communicate to the receiver

Gauging The Effectiveness of Your Responses

two-fold task monitor, analyze, and eliminate your own ineffective responses while simultaneously observing, managing and modifying ineffective responses by your clients also eliminate ineffective styles of responding and test out new communication skills