HHS 207-3.2

DeVito, J. A. (2016). The interpersonal communication book (14th ed.). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu

• This text is a Constellation™ course digital materials (CDM) title.

In the field of human services, it’s not uncommon to work with clients who are encountering a range of challenges that arouse feelings of sadness, anger, and frustration. Would you know how to engage appropriately with a client under such conditions? In this second discussion, you will identify and reflect on various elements related to conveying effective messages to clients.

Read Chapters 7 and Chapter 8 of The Interpersonal Communication Book and review the following five human service career paths from the Human Service Careers (Links to an external site.) video:

• Early Child Development & Services (03:01)
• Counseling and Mental Health Services (04:17)
• Family & Community Services (07:00)
• Personal Care Services (03:54)
• Consumer Services (04:11)

Initial Post: Imagine that you are a human service professional working in a career path that is different from the one you selected in the first discussion forum and prepare a reply that sufficiently addresses each of the items below,. Don’t forget that it is critical to cite your sources of information, including the textbook, using APA formatting.

• What are some ways in which effective means of emotional expression is used to engage with a client experiencing a problem (e.g., loss of job, homelessness, health concerns, etc.)?
• Identify empathy skills in interpersonal and group settings (e.g., one-on-one client interaction, facilitating a group session, etc.) that you might use as a human services professional.
• Describe one communication theory (i.e., constructivist, attachment, communication accommodation, attribution) that can apply to this situation as it relates to communicating messages (e.g., how messages are communicated, processes related to communicating messages, etc..). See Week One’s required website readings.
• Under what conditions might you, as a human service professional, use self-disclosure as a means of interacting with clients? Would it be appropriate or inappropriate in this specific situation? Why or why not?