conveys a positive regard

ex:"yes, i understand what you said"

acknowledging and indicating awareness

ex: "i see you made your bed"

making oneself available on an unconditional basis

ex: "ill stay with you awhile"

allows client to select topic, emphasizes importance of client's role in interaction

ex:"tell me what you are thinking"

encourages client to continue

ex:"yes, i see, go on"

clarifies the relationship of events in time

ex:"was this before or after..."

verbalizing what is observed or perceived

ex: "you seem tense"

asking client to verbalize what is being perceived

ex: "tell me what is happening now"

encouraging comparison

asking client to compare similiarties and differences in ideas, experiences, or interpersonal relationships

ex: "how does this compare to the time when...?"

restating

lets the client know whether an expressed statement has been understood or not

ex:

Client-"i cant study. My mind keeps wandering"

Ns: "You have difficulty concentrating"

reflecting

questions or feelings are referred back to client so that they may be recognized and accepted

ex:

Client: "What do you think i should do abt my wife's drinking problem?"

Ns: "What do YOU think you should do?"

taking notice of a single idea or even a single word

ex: "this point seems worth looking at more closely. Perhaps you and I can discuss it together"

delving furthur into a subject, idea, experience, or relationship

ex: "tell me more about that particular situation"

striving to explain that which is vague and searching for mutual understanding

ex: "i'm not sure that I understand. Would you please explain?"

presenting reality

clarifying misperceptions that the client may be expressing

ex: "i understand that the voices seem real to you, but I do not hear any voices"

expressing uncertainty as to the reality of the client's perceptions

ex: "that seems rather doubtful to me"

putting into words what the client has only implied

ex:

Client: "it's a waste of time to be here. I can't talk to you or anyone."

Ns: " are you feeling that no one understands?"

puttinginto words the feelings that the client has expressed only indirectly

ex:

Client: "im way out in the ocean"

Ns: "You must be feeling very lonely now."

strives to prevent anger or anxiety from escalating to an unmanageable level the next time the stressor occurs

ex: "what could you do to let your anger out harmlessly?"