Therapeutic Communication in Mental Health Nursing

Therapeutic Communication in Mental Health Nursing
By
Dr. Hayder AL-Hadrawi

College of Nursing/ University of Babylon

Students Learning Outcomes
At the end of this presentation, learners will be able to:

1.Identify and discuss the components of therapeutic relationship
2. Discuss inappropriate techniques that impact the communication between psychiatric nurses and their clients.
3. Appropriately demonstrate therapeutic communication with clients who experience mental health problems.

COMMUNICATION IS THE PROCESS that people use to exchange information. Messages are simultaneously sent and received on two levels: verbally through the use of words and nonverbally by behaviors that accompany the words (DeVito, 2008). Verbal communication consists of the words a person uses to speak to one or more listeners. Words represent the objects and concepts being discussed. Placement of words into phrases and sentences that are understandable to both speaker and listeners gives an order
and a meaning to these symbols. In verbal communication, content is the literal words that a person speaks. Context is the environment in which communication occurs and can include the time and the physical, social, emotional, and cultural environments. Context includes the situation or circumstances that clarify the meaning of the content of the message. It is discussed in more detail throughout this chapter.