ABSTRACT

Improving Communication in Mental Health Settings draws on empirical studies of real-world settings to demonstrate contemporary practice-based evidence, providing effective strategies for communicating with patients/clients in mental health settings.

The book integrates clinical experience and language-based evidence drawn from qualitative research. Drawing on studies that utilize scientific language-based approaches such as discourse and conversation analysis, it focuses on social interaction between professionals and patients/clients to demonstrate effective communication practices. Chapters are led by clinical professionals and feature a range of mental health settings, different mental health conditions and types of patient/client, and evidence-based recommendations.

This book is an essential guide for professionals working in mental health and/or social work, and those training or working in clinical areas of mental health practice.

part I|110 pages

Communication with children and families

chapter 2|19 pages

Communication in child mental health

Improving engagement with families

chapter 4|16 pages

Communication in clinical psychology

Using “you said” in interactions with children to assess for risk

chapter 5|18 pages

Children’s communication and their mental health

Perspectives from speech and language therapy

chapter 6|18 pages

“J ust ask”

How to talk to children and young people about self-harm and suicide risk

part II|65 pages

Communication with adults

chapter 8|13 pages

Deception, fantasy and confabulation

What the stories of forensic patients with intellectual disabilities tell us about truth in therapeutic interactions

chapter 9|18 pages

Communicating about feelings

Examples from depression care

chapter 10|17 pages

Communication in mental health nursing

The power of the words we choose

chapter 11|15 pages

Exploring the “talk” of suicide

Using discourse-informed approaches in exploring suicide risk

part III|52 pages

Learning journeys

chapter 12|16 pages

A PhD learning journey

The value of conversation analysis and discourse approaches for speech and language clinical practice