ABSTRACT
Although the therapeutic value of talking has been repeatedly identified, the opportunity to talk is not readily available within many residential units, where the ratio of staff to residents may be as few as one to ten. Where time is spent on ensuring that the basics are achieved, sitting and talking are often frowned upon. Frequently, too, the type of education provided to the basic-grade residential worker fails to include counselling skills or reflective listening techniques, even in those situations where the worker is expected to become involved in personal care. Talking can help the aggressor to identify what may trigger an aggressive outburst, while also helping to identify other ways of responding.
