ABSTRACT
Of course, connecting is a two-way process and as such it cannot be forced or faked. However, in the CARE Approach, we suggest that connecting is a key component of the patient encounter and thus in your professional role you may need to work at maximising the chances of connecting with your patient. Fortunately, you can learn to optimise connecting, which for the healthcare professional is an active process that requires both conscious effort and willingness (Neighbour, 1987).
