Requirements for

Therapeutic
Communication

PRESENTED BY: Mary Anne I.

Javierto, RN MAN
1. Ability to communicate
therapeutically requires
an understanding and use
of interviewing techniques
and developing a trusting
relationship thru:
Open ended rather than
probing
Reflection of words and
feelings
Focus on the emotional
needs
Having a therapeutic
goal
Acceptance
Non-judgmental
2. Recognition that an individual has
potential for growth
 Individuals need to learn about their
behavior in relation to others
 Experiences must be shared with
others to determine that their
perceptions are valid
 Participating in groups increases IPR
and helps the individual identify their
strengths and resources
3. Recognition that the individual needs
to be accepted
 Acceptance is an active process
designed to convey respect through
empathetic understanding
 acceptance of others requires
acceptance of self first
 acceptance requires that they be
permitted to and encouraged
others to others to express their
feelings and attitudes
 must be aware of one’s own
attitudes and feelings to be non
judgmental
 acceptance requires showing
interest in the client.
Basic Principles of Psychiatric
Nursing
(Saxon)
In caring for the clients, the nurse should attempt to:
 accept and respect people as individuals
regardless of their behavior
 set limits on the individual’s inappropriate behavior
 recognize that all behaviors have meaning and is
meeting the needs of the person
 accept dependency needs while encouraging moves
towards independency
 help individuals set limits on
inappropriate behaviors
 recognize that individuals need to
use their learned defenses until
they find other defenses can be
substituted
 recognize that all individuals have
potential to grow towards higher
levels of emotional health
 encourage individuals to express
their feelings in an atmosphere
free of reprisal and judgment
 recognize that all feelings affect
behavior and influence
relationships
Basic Needs to maintain Mental Health and
Personality Development:
 The Need to Communicate
• to validate reality and conveys an uderstanding of
feelings
• to develop self concept in relation to others
 The Need for Security
• an assurance survival promotes security
• Fear emergence when survival is threatened
• The infant’s security is related to satisfaction
of physical needs
• The infant must perceive love to feel secure
• how the person handles these
perceptions influences personality
development
The Need to Move from Dependency to
Independency
• If one is totally dependent on others,
security is severely threatened because
there is no deep assurance of survival if
such occurs
• The infant must first feel to be loved and
secured to be able to overcome problems
with the environment
• one these are met, the child is sustained in
the failures and hurts associated with
learning and dependence
• denial of the opportunity to learn or
frustration in the drive for independence will
produce emotional problems.
 The Need to develop Self Concept
• s.c. begins to develop in early infancy
• an integral part of s.c. is body image
• deeply learned perceptions of body image
stems from the attitudes of sig. others since
children view themselves as their loved
ones view them
• communication enhances the
development of self
• a person’s sense of self is the
basis of emotional stability; a
secure person has strength
and capacity for independence
and becomes less anxious
when circumstances require
the help of others
WHEN ARE BEHAVIORS
MALADAPTIVE? (Javierto
2005)
 when adaptive mechanisms are used singly
and repetitively
 inability to move from dependency to
independency
 Unable to substitute maladaptive behaviors to
adaptive ones
 failure to communicate
 unable to experience care and support during
early years development
 When the ego is constantly being threatened
and unable to compensate for it
 lack of opportunities to grow and to learn to
become independent
 distortions in the perceptions of self and
body image.

Why is there a need to develop adaptive

mechanisms?
 anxiety is the prime motivational factor for
maintaining a.m.( to relieve anxieties and
fears)
 to maintain a state of well being and
homeostasis
 maintaining the ego integrity