Improving Therapeutic Communication A Guide for Developing Effective Techniques

Throughout the book, the authors focus on the basic skills thatfacilitate communications in therapy (empathy, respect,authenticity, relating in the here-and-now, and confrontation) andexplore specific methods of using them. These skills--whichresearch shows are crucial to effective therapy--enable therapistsand counselors to
* Empathize in a caring way with the feelings of clients
* Become receptive to clients in a warm, respectful, andnonjudgmental way
* Constructively share feelings with clients in a natural, openmanner
* Therapeutically utilize moment-to-moment, here-and-nowinteraction
* Make clients aware of their inconsistencies and discrepancieswithout arousing antagonism or defensiveness

Foreword.

Preface.

The Authors.

1. Effective Elements in Counseling and Psychotherapy.

2. Processes and Phases in Counseling and Psychotherapy.

3. Barriers to Effective Communication.

4. Developing Perceptiveness to Feelings.

5. Responding Empathically to the Client's Expressions: ReciprocalResponses.

6. Expanding the Client's Meaning: Additive Responses.

7. Relating to Clients with Respect.

8. Relating to Clients with Genuineness.

9. Examining Here-and-Now Feelings and Interactions Within theCounseling Relationship.

10. Using Confrontation to Remove Barriers to Communication andChange.

11. Communication Processes in Effective Therapy:SummaryReferences.

Index.

D. Corydon Hammond is a psychologist, professor, andco-director of the Sex and Martial Therapy Clinic at the Universityof Utah School of Medicine. He is a past president of the AmericanSociety of Clinical Hypnosis.

Dean H. Hepworth is retired. He was associate dean andprofessor of the Graduate School of Social Work, University ofUtah.

Veon G. Smith, deceased, was a professor in the GraduateSchool of Social Work and director of the Marriage and FamilyCounseling Bureau, University of Utah.