You may occasionally experience deep conversations with a close friend that you would describe as therapeutic. Empathetic and supportive heart-to-heart talks can have healing benefits. The clinical definition of therapeutic communication tends to be more calculated and purposeful than an informal discussion, yet its basic principles can be applied to everyday life.
Considerations
A therapeutic approach to communication is often taught to and used by mental health professionals.This deliberate form of verbal interaction is generally intended to settle emotional conflicts involving people with mental health issues and psychiatric disorders. Therapeutic communication is a process that emphasizes focused, non-judgmental interactions, allowing an individual to feel safe to share his innermost feelings.
Empathy
One of the star qualities of a therapeutic communicator is her ability to put herself in another person's shoes. An empathetic attitude enables you to understand the feelings, ideas, desires and actions of someone else.
Interaction
Therapeutic communication involves assessing and adapting to the other person's personality type. For example, you may have to take a more reserved approach in a conversation with an overly talkative person, but you might have to do more of the talking to effectively communicate with a shy or withdrawn individual.
Listening
A therapeutic communicator knows when to keep quiet and when to listen. Listening is at the heart of effective communication. Everyone wants to be truly heard. Knowing that another person cares enough to listen helps strengthen relationships. A good listener knows that a significant part of communication occurs non-verbally through body posture, facial expressions and even tone of voice. Therapeutic communication also involves paying attention to these non-verbal cues.
Effects
The opposite of therapeutic communication is discouraging communication, according to the University of Florida. Negative interactions often include yelling, screaming, slamming doors and digging up old wounds. Applying therapeutic communication techniques to your own life may help make issues of concern more positive. The ability to talk things through in a calm and unhurried fashion and really listen to the other person's point of view can help minimize stress and effectively solve problems.
Outlook
A composed demeanor can help you think more clearly and make the other person feel safe and non-threatened. If you need to talk about something that's bothering you, keep the focus on how you feel, not on what the other person may or may not have done.
