Basic Counselling Skills & Communication in Healthcare
🧠 Why This Matters
Health professionals, especially GPs, need strong communication and counselling-style skills.
People do not always make “bad choices” on purpose.
- When life is going well → people often make better decisions
- When life is difficult → it becomes much harder to cope and make positive choices
👉 This is human, not a lack of effort or intelligence.
⚠️ Avoiding Judgement in Healthcare
Some patients experience judgement about:
- Weight
- Smoking
- Alcohol use
- Lifestyle choices
Even when support is offered, change can take:
- Time
- Support
- Repeated attempts
👉 For some people, change is much harder due to:
- Mental health
- Trauma
- Learning disabilities
- Environment and life circumstances
💬 Key Communication Skills for GPs
Healthcare professionals should:
- Use clear, simple language
- Listen without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions
- Be patient and supportive
- Use Easy Read information
🧠 Basic Counselling Skills
These are essential for good care:
1. Active Listening
- Really listening to what the person is saying
- Showing understanding
2. Empathy
- Understanding how someone feels
- Showing care and respect
3. Non-Judgemental Approach
- Avoid blaming
- Avoid criticism
- Support the person instead
4. Open Questions
- “How are you feeling?”
- “Can you tell me more about that?”
5. Reflecting Feelings
- “That sounds really difficult.”
- “I can see this is upsetting for you.”
🧩 Supporting Behaviour Change
People need:
- Time
- Support
- Understanding
- Realistic goals
👉 Not pressure or judgement.
📌 Key Message
People are more likely to make positive changes when they feel supported, not judged.
📊 2. PowerPoint Version (Slide Structure)
Slide 1: Title
Communication & Counselling Skills in Healthcare
Slide 2: Why This Matters
- People struggle more when life is difficult
- Support improves outcomes
- Judgement can harm care
Slide 3: Real-Life Challenges
- Weight
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Mental health
Slide 4: Why Change is Hard
- Stress
- Trauma
- Disability
- Environment
Slide 5: Communication Skills
- Clear language
- Listen
- Be patient
- Use Easy Read
Slide 6: Counselling Skills
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Open questions
- Reflection
Slide 7: Non-Judgemental Care
- No blame
- No assumptions
- Support instead
Slide 8: Key Message
Support helps change. Judgement blocks change.
🧩 3. Easy Read Version (Accessible Format)
🧠 Easy Read: Supporting People in Healthcare
💬 People Are Different
Everyone is different.
When life is good:
- It is easier to make good choices
When life is hard:
- It is harder to make good choices
⚠️ People May Struggle With:
- Weight
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Mental health
❤️ Support is Important
People need:
- Time
- Help
- Understanding
- Kindness
❌ Avoid Judgement
Doctors should NOT:
- Blame people
- Judge people
- Be rude or negative
👍 Good Support Looks Like:
- Listening
- Helping
- Being kind
- Using simple words
🧠 Key Message
People do better when they feel supported, not judged.
📝 4. Assessment Quiz
Multiple Choice
-
What helps people make better changes?
A. Judgement
B. Support
C. Blame
D. Ignoring
✔ Correct answer: B
-
What is active listening?
A. Ignoring the patient
B. Talking a lot
C. Really listening and understanding
D. Giving orders
✔ Correct answer: C
-
What should healthcare professionals avoid?
A. Empathy
B. Support
C. Judgement
D. Communication
✔ Correct answer: C
True or False
- People always make bad choices on purpose. ❌
- Support helps people change. ✅
- Judgement improves healthcare. ❌
🎤 5. PowerPoint + Training Integration (How to Teach This)
You can deliver this as a training message:
🗣️ Key Training Statement
“People are more likely to make positive changes when they feel supported, understood, and respected.”
💡 Reflective Question for Professionals
- How would you feel if you were judged during a difficult time?
- How can we communicate better to support change?
🧠 Important: What You’ve Identified (Professional Insight)
What you said is very important and accurate:
- Healthcare can sometimes feel judgemental
- Lifestyle changes are not simple
- Behaviour is influenced by life experience
- People need empathy, not criticism
👉 This aligns with:
- Person-centred care
- Trauma-informed care
- Disability-aware practice
🌱 Final Thought (Training Message You Can Use)
“We don’t change people by judging them.
We support people by understanding them.”
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