Discussion 3

Discussion

One of the most difficult tasks for beginning social workers is learning how to talk with a client and skillfully utilize questions. It is very tempting to engage a client by fact-finding and interrogating instead of simply exploring the client’s feelings and the underlying content of what they are saying. This is why we will focus on the important skills of Reflecting and Summarizing before moving on to asking questions.

Reflecting and summarizing are all important aspects of listening that can help when effectively communicating with your clients. The following gives you a brief breakdown on each of these skills.

Skill: Reflection of Feeling

What is it? Restating and exploring the client’s feelings that are expressed verbally and nonverbally

Examples:

• It sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed by….
• If I am hearing you correctly, you felt terrified when that car….
• It appears as though you are really excited about….

Skill: Reflection of Content

What is it? A way to let the client know you are listening by repeating (briefly) back specific information or facts. It also can work as a means of fact checking with the client

Examples:

• I hear you saying that you had a rough day yesterday after you lost your wallet.
• I sense that you and your sister are in a better place today.
• Correct me if I’m wrong, but you told your boyfriend to get lost after he came home late last night.

Skill: Summarizing

What is it? Pulling together major points and relevant pieces of information from the client’s discussion and creating a consolidated response. This can incorporate both reflections of feeling and content. It can also be used intermittently during the client interview and is a good way to begin and end a session

Examples: Just as a recap, last week you talked about how happy you feel about reconnecting with your biological father. We discussed that you also felt some anger and resentment but largely you were excited to meet him again. You also talked about how important it is to you that he follow through with his promises about coming to your graduation.