INTERACTING WITH CLIENTS AND FAMILIES

FIRST INTERACTIONS

• Provides a basis to judge you as a professional
• Allows us to gain information
• Allows us to counsel our clients
• Allows us to provide information and train others

IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

SHOW RESPECT

BE ORGANIZED

USE PROFESSIONAL TONE

LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND

ATTEND TO CONTEXT

MODIFY BASED ON FEEDBACK

DIAGNOSTIC INTERVIEWS

• Interview setting
• Setting the tone
• The presenting story

SPECIFIC DIAGNOSTIC INTERVIEWS

• Interview with parents
• Interview with adults and families
• Conducting training sessions for home programming
• Discussing treatment progress with clients and families
• Counseling clients and families about treatment

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNS

• Accidental and inappropriate usage
• The "OK" Syndrome
• Unnatural production
• Ungrammatical utterances
• Loquaciousness

COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNS CONTINUED

• Smothering the client
• Do not appear the fool