Analysis Of Micro Skills Model ( Soler )

I think this is a strength because they need eye contact to know who they are talking to especially if its couple or group counselling that is taking place. I would use this when being with my clients because they would need to be able to know that I am being assertive to them when they are expressing what they have bottled up for a long time and so this allows them to know that they can trust me.

During your meeting with a client maintain eye contact (but not a fixed glare), as looking away from the client and around the room shows you are not listening, disinterested or preoccupied with other thoughts. This will not build a good rapport.

In both my persuasive and eliciting videos I used an array of verbal and non-verbal communication techniques. For example, in both videos I maintained good eye contact with my client throughout, demonstrating the use of non-verbal communication. I ensured to keep eye contact with my client to reassure her I was listening and paying attention whilst staying focused and interested which could enable my patient to elaborate and express their feelings, as one of the most important aspects of nursing is establishing a good relationship between a nurse and their patient (Bach and Grant 2009) in which Baston et al. (2009) elaborates on by claiming that an inability to maintain eye contact leads to barriers within communication. However making eye contact for long periods of time can be perceived as rude in some cultures (RCN 2015). Therefore, although I thought I was demonstrating consideration, I could have potentially been offending a service user. I have also acknowledged in both videos that I can be repetitive in agreeing or confirming what my patient has said through

Verbal and non-verbal communication forms the interactions that a person has with others. Susan recognizes the important role that communication plays in enhancing positive outcome in their counselling session. Susan’s verbal and non-verbal communication allow the couple to quickly become comfortable with her and open up about their feelings. Susan always faces the person that is talking and she maintains a proper amount of eye contact with that person. Not making eye contact gives the perception of not caring and excessive eye contact can make a person uncomfortable or feel intruded upon. Susan maintains a soft demeanor throughout the session by speaking in a calm comforting voice and having a relaxed posture. This non-verbal communication gives the couple the perception that Susan genuinely cares about what they have to say. Susan asks the couple to describe their relationship and how each individual feels about the state of the current relationship. She is constantly showing the couple that she understands what is being said by verbally communicating to them the emotions they must have felt in the situations they are describing. She expresses empathy by saying statements like “I hear you” or “I understand” which gives the couple reassurance that they are being heard and she cares about their

American Indian female’s eye contact may be minimal to preserve discretion and to demonstrate respect for the therapists, for example, displaying small looks (Chee et al, 2006).

One of my goals for this semester is to try to smile more during my sessions to show warmth. I think by showing warmth it will hopefully allow my client to open up more and they will feel more comfortable talking and sharing with me. I think by smiling it shows warmth, and it also shows the client that I want to be there and that I am engaged with what they have to say. My method of evaluation for this goal will be to review all my recorded sessions for the semester and watch my facial expressions regarding smiling and if I appear warm. By watching the recordings I will also be able to determine if my smile is portrayed as genuine or fake. I will also evaluate my goal by asking for feedback from peers, and ask them if they thought my facial

This exercise would prove to be very helpful in my job now as well as my future career. I deal with patients every day as the arrive and leave the family practice I work in. I could not even give you a number as to how many faces I see in one day. I am currently in school to become a radiographer. In this line of work, which is in healthcare as well, I will be dealing with many patients on a day to day basis. Even though I am not aware of it non-verbal channels, the various behavioral forms that nonverbal communication takes (Floyd 180), assist me in effectively doing my job.

The nonverbal and verbal skills of the therapist were great, in the video, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, you see the therapist using her communications skills and body language to show the client that she is interested in what they have to say. The therapist shows the couple that she interested by touching the clients legs, and showing face expressions that shows the couples that she wants to help them find a common ground to figure out their problems. The therapist also uses words that can help the couple to respond to her without saying “yes/no” to her questioning. The therapist showed a warm and expressive tone, she followed the couple response to her questions, and she did not interrupt the couple when they were responding her questioning. The therapist also made good eye contact when she was asking the couple questions, the eye contact and the body language she used showed the couple that she was being natural, relaxed and attentive to understand what the couple was saying to her.

The feedback I received for my focus video covered an array of topics. Some positive feedback was about my calm affect, and was seen as a strength in the video. According to the feedback, my calm affect helped to control the energy in the room. Another piece of feedback I received was complementing the high level of rapport I have with my client. I agreed with both of these pieces of positive feedback and found it reassuring that the way I was presenting myself was therapeutic for the situation. One area of feedback for me to work on was to focus on reflecting the significant aspects of the session instead of reflecting just anything.

The first skill I demonstrated was natural empathy at the 3:22 minute mark. De Jong and Berg (2013) discuss that empathy requires “the practitioner to explore and adopt the client’s sense of his or her experience, without ever losing the inner sense that he or she is a separate person from the client (p. 43). When Kelsey was talking about how she feels as though her grandma belittles her, I offered natural empathy after that response. I was trying to understand her story; therefore, I was trying to empathize with her. I wanted Kelsey to know that I understood that she was frustrated. I also engaged in nonverbal responses throughout the process recording, which also can convey empathy (De Jong at el., 2013). I thought I did a good job showing natural empathy.

I also liked my body posture when talking to Jessica. She was a struggling mother of two and I made my body posture more approachable and not so much authoritarian. I do not think I would have gotten as much information off her if I came across authoritarian.

After evaluating my skills, I have determined that I am proficient at trying to stay focused, asking questions, and empathizing with the speaker. Under the same evaluation it is clear I am easily distracted by external and internal noise, and I have issues with interrupting the speaker as well as maintaining eye contact. My strategy is to do all that I can on my part to reduce my own external noise, focus on the speaker when external noise arises, and to minimize internal noise by taking notes and addressing my issues before I begin speaking to others. To further improve, I must be aware of my habit of interrupting others and allow them to completely finish their thoughts. Lastly, it is imperative that I work on my eye contact by using the triangle method and not allowing my prior feelings affect my current situation. My listening communication is not perfect, but I believe I am on the right track. If I can utilize my options for improvement, I am sure I will see positive

One day, in my speaking and listening classes the thing what happen totally change the ways of my life. I made my first presentation and I was indifference frustration by my accent, fragment of speech, and lack of eye contact with my teacher and classmate. After my presentation my professor Ann Krowniski emphasis on how eye contact is important for me and she told “Eye contact is the important part of communication skill in The United States of America as well as it is a culture that everyone should use it at any conversation with anyone.” Finally I realized this wonderful advice and I practice at anywhere with anyone through my conversation. However, it was not easy to be perfect in one night because it was opposite with my

Non-verbal communication is used to give us cues about what is being communicated (Underman and Boggs, 2011) and involves listening, eye contact, body language, facial expressions and movements. Posture can be open or closed reflecting a person’s emotions and attitudes (skillsyouneed, 2014). Listening can create trust, act as an advocate and build a therapeutic rapport with the patient. Barriers to listening are a noisy environment, tone of voice, timing and tiredness. Kinesics (body language) is an important non-verbal skill that involves the conscious or unconscious body positioning or actions of the communicator (Underman and Boggs, 2011). Following the SOLER guideline is useful. S- Sit squarely to the person (face them). O- Maintain an open position, L- Lean slightly forward, E- Maintain comfortable eye contact and R- Relax and take your time (Egan, 2002).

Sanders (2011) argues that “By talking about ourselves as honestly as we can in a safe environment and listening to the feedback from others, we can check whether the view we have of ourselves is the one received by others” (Sanders, 2011, p61). Feedback not only raises our awareness to what we say but, and perhaps more importantly, how we say it - our non-verbal communication. The influence of non-verbal communication on a clients view of their counsellor can be taught, but I was amazed at just how unaware I was of my own body language. During my first few triads I could not control my hands, eventually opting to sit on them which was perceived as uncomfortable and a result of my nervousness. “Receiving feedback gives us a chance to change and modify in order to communicate more effectively” (Tolan & Lendrum, 1995, p30) and creates awareness of the importance of effective communication when building a genuine relationship with your client. Receiving feedback can also raise our awareness of the value of receiving genuine feedback itself, as well as a need to sensitively communicate feedback to others. This also creates a greater sense of empathy toward others.