THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION IN CLINICAL
PRACTICE
Stanislava Pavlova
Department of Speech therapy and medical pedagogics, Faculty of Public
health, Medical University - Varna, Bulgaria.
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND
Communication with the patient in the process of Communication with the patient in health care is
providing health care is more than speech. It is carried out seen as a multifaceted process of interaction between the
by applying different methods and strategies. Patient com- medical professionals and the patient. The activity of
munication in health care is a multifaceted process of in- medical specialists is not limited to the technical imple-
teraction between medical professionals and the patient. It mentation of treatment procedures and manipulations but
is defined as therapeutic communication (TC). It is a ho- is also related to communication and interaction with the
listic approach oriented towards the overall care of the pa- patient [1]. Thus, through interpersonal therapeutic inter-
tient. Social interaction takes place through TC, the pa- action, medical professionals are able to most fully meet
tient’s needs for specific care are determined, problems are the needs of the patient and fulfill their professional du-
controlled and solved, information is sought and given, etc. ties.
Therapeutic communication is a type of professional com-
munication. TC is used by medical professionals in their REVIEW RESULTS
work with patients and their relatives. Effective communi- Specific features of therapeutic communication
cation skills of medical professionals stimulate the patient In the 1950s, Peplau was the first to conceptualize
to talk about his problem. They are also used in patient the therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the pa-
education to improve health outcomes, etc. Showing inter- tient. Through this therapeutic relationship, the healthcare
est and concern for the patient is a component of the so- professional improves the health of the person they care
called “conversation for the purpose of support”. Health for (Moreno-Poyato AR, et al.). The therapeutic relation-
care professionals use different approaches when conduct- ship has been shown to be directly related to health out-
ing a conversation with the patient - for some, the social comes among patients (Kelley JM, et al.) [2, 3].
side of the conversation is most important, for others – so- Therapeutic communication (TC) is a process of
cial relationships. The therapeutic conversation builds ef- verbal and non-verbal communication when working with
fective communication with the patient and improves the patients. It is a holistic approach oriented towards total
therapeutic impact. In this way, two essential components patient care [1]. This specific type of communication al-
are distinguished in TC - emotional and informational. lows social interaction to take place; to establish the pa-
tient’s needs for specific care; to supervise and solve prob-
Keywords: therapeutic relationships, empathy, lis- lems; to search for and give information, etc.
tening, support, patients, Therapeutic communication assists healthcare pro-
fessionals in planning patient care. It is defined as a sig-
nificant and basic method used in healthcare [4].
In the TC process, information, experience, results
of the activity are exchanged, an emotional-psychologi-
cal relationship is formed, influence is exerted between
people, mutual empathy and understanding is realized. It
is performed with the patient and/or his relatives. Several
stages can be distinguished in TC:
• First stage: characterized by an initial assessment
and getting to know the other person
• Second stage: establishing psycho-emotional con-
tact with the other person;
• Third stage: exchange of messages through speech;
• Fourth stage: interruption of psycho-emotional
contact.
PRACTICE
Stanislava Pavlova
Department of Speech therapy and medical pedagogics, Faculty of Public
health, Medical University - Varna, Bulgaria.
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND
Communication with the patient in the process of Communication with the patient in health care is
providing health care is more than speech. It is carried out seen as a multifaceted process of interaction between the
by applying different methods and strategies. Patient com- medical professionals and the patient. The activity of
munication in health care is a multifaceted process of in- medical specialists is not limited to the technical imple-
teraction between medical professionals and the patient. It mentation of treatment procedures and manipulations but
is defined as therapeutic communication (TC). It is a ho- is also related to communication and interaction with the
listic approach oriented towards the overall care of the pa- patient [1]. Thus, through interpersonal therapeutic inter-
tient. Social interaction takes place through TC, the pa- action, medical professionals are able to most fully meet
tient’s needs for specific care are determined, problems are the needs of the patient and fulfill their professional du-
controlled and solved, information is sought and given, etc. ties.
Therapeutic communication is a type of professional com-
munication. TC is used by medical professionals in their REVIEW RESULTS
work with patients and their relatives. Effective communi- Specific features of therapeutic communication
cation skills of medical professionals stimulate the patient In the 1950s, Peplau was the first to conceptualize
to talk about his problem. They are also used in patient the therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the pa-
education to improve health outcomes, etc. Showing inter- tient. Through this therapeutic relationship, the healthcare
est and concern for the patient is a component of the so- professional improves the health of the person they care
called “conversation for the purpose of support”. Health for (Moreno-Poyato AR, et al.). The therapeutic relation-
care professionals use different approaches when conduct- ship has been shown to be directly related to health out-
ing a conversation with the patient - for some, the social comes among patients (Kelley JM, et al.) [2, 3].
side of the conversation is most important, for others – so- Therapeutic communication (TC) is a process of
cial relationships. The therapeutic conversation builds ef- verbal and non-verbal communication when working with
fective communication with the patient and improves the patients. It is a holistic approach oriented towards total
therapeutic impact. In this way, two essential components patient care [1]. This specific type of communication al-
are distinguished in TC - emotional and informational. lows social interaction to take place; to establish the pa-
tient’s needs for specific care; to supervise and solve prob-
Keywords: therapeutic relationships, empathy, lis- lems; to search for and give information, etc.
tening, support, patients, Therapeutic communication assists healthcare pro-
fessionals in planning patient care. It is defined as a sig-
nificant and basic method used in healthcare [4].
In the TC process, information, experience, results
of the activity are exchanged, an emotional-psychologi-
cal relationship is formed, influence is exerted between
people, mutual empathy and understanding is realized. It
is performed with the patient and/or his relatives. Several
stages can be distinguished in TC:
• First stage: characterized by an initial assessment
and getting to know the other person
• Second stage: establishing psycho-emotional con-
tact with the other person;
• Third stage: exchange of messages through speech;
• Fourth stage: interruption of psycho-emotional
contact.
