Therapeutic Interview Paper Example

B.) Purpose of a Therapeutic Interview

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Therapeutic interviews provide a great platform where patients can quickly air out their feelings and emotions. Interviews provide one of the most efficient ways applied in the collection of data while using use of qualitative research (Rossetto, 2014). The use of interviews create opportunities for the scholars to have access to first hand and data rich in content and meaning. Looking at therapeutic interviews, they help in the extraction of information relating to individuals and their families from a holistic approach (Brinkman, Segool, Pham, & Carlson, 2007). The method of therapeutic interviews has been applied in several fields of counseling such as family therapy, and the field of marriage.

Due to the extensive use of interviews in the field of qualitative research, it is essential that clinicians are trained and assisted in handling challenges bound to be met in conducting such therapeutic interviews (Biglow, 2012). The need for such direction or guidance to support researchers in counseling is to help them in a change of perception or mindset while undertaking such studies with high level of expertise. Therefore, adoption of the approach of the therapeutic interview does not only allow the nurses to have a close relation with the interviewees or the patient but also enhances the capacity of the nurse to carry out their duties efficiently and in an efficient manner.

The intention of the interview also involves the provision of a clear framework that helps in conducting studies related to professional counseling. Also, the structure enables the researcher to have an intimate connection with the process of interview development, which is referred to as the interview of the interpretive researcher. The aim of the researcher also undergoing the interview is to ensure reflexivity that eliminates any probable biases of the researcher while conducting qualitative research. The therapeutic interview procedure enhances the meaning and relevance of a study to both the participant and the counselor researcher. It, therefore, brings a change to all parties involved in the research hence similar to the strategies of family systems therapy (Connell, 2010).

C.) Interview Techniques:

C1.) Introduction Strategy

An introduction strategy is an essential element in the process of interviewing respondents. The inception entails how the meeting starts, and when it happens wrong, then the responses obtained may be biased and doctored by the respondent. At the initial stage, it is important that the interviewer, in this case, the nurse or counselor researcher, will need to develop a rapport in an efficient manner. The interviewer will need to start with a warm greeting to the respondent and provide a reason for the referral made to the particular respondent ("Beginning Therapy: A Primer," 2017). It is also important that the interviewer or the nurse review any information previously discussed in addition to any moral concerns regarding informed consent and confidentiality of any data provided.

The process does not end there, as more needs to be done to ensure that the respondent is comfortable while the process continues. The nurse needs to perform the reconnaissance process where all information regarding the stresses and challenges leading to the client seeking after therapy. The introduction strategy entails all about making the client under treatment to be comfortable and willing to provide any required information by the researcher. Therefore, the success of the whole therapeutic interview relies on the introduction strategy.

C2.) Open Ended and Closed Questions

Open Ended Questions

The use of closed as well as open-ended questions is key in any interview process. Therefore, in the therapeutic interview process, it is essential that either of the two or both be applied in the process. Open-ended questions are often the best to be involved in a therapeutic process as it enables the interviewee to respond without any limitation to a set of answers. The use of open-ended questions provides responses full of relevant and valuable information for the study. The use of open-ended question requires when there is need to make an observation in the expressions made by the respondent to a particular question. A question like, could you state how smoking habit has affected your family? The use of such questions enable the respondent to provide more information needed by the interviewer and appears less coercive.

Closed Questions

These type of questions are frequently constrained or restricted to a particular set of responses. They may include yes or no replies, true or false and a set of replies that a respondent should choose. The closed questions are usually used in obtaining information that is factual, as they are short and precise. An example of the closed question is, how often do you smoke in a day? The response may be limited to a set of number variables such as two, three, four or even more than four times in a day. Therefore, when the interviewer needs to extract facts from the respondent, then he or she needs to apply closed questions.

C3.) Closing Strategy

A closing plan comes at the end of the therapeutic interview process. The procedure entails removing clients from the deep feelings and emotions they got engulfed in as a result of the questions asked during the whole process. In this phase, the therapeutic interviewer closes all the past failures and traumatic events discussed by the client and moving them from past bad feelings to the present daily life. The aim of the closing strategy is to provide room for more discussion in the subsequent sessions to be carried out in the future. The therapist can also encourage the interviewee to resolve to work on the issues causing them unhappiness and distress (Biglow, 2012).

The closing strategy provides relief to the client and gives them hope to continue from where they stopped in the first session. The initial session often proves to be the most difficult step for most patients to take, and when they decide to come back for another session, then it signifies commitment towards getting help. The therapy patient will have developed a sense of trust with the therapist who was once a stranger when the closing strategy is effective. Ending the process in a hopeful state motivates the client to look forward to a happy life because of implementing changes advised by the therapist.

D.) Techniques of Therapeutic Use of Self:

D1.) Listening and Hearing

Difference between listening and hearing

Hearing involves the action of recognizing sound and reception of sound vibrations or waves through the ear. Listening entails the process of perceiving sound and making meaning or understanding of whatever is heard ("Difference Between Listening and Hearing," 2017). Therefore, hearing is involuntary as sound often passes through our ears, but listening entails more than just hearing but making a choice to select what to hear. To understand whatever message is passed across then one has to concentrate on the sound and make meaning out of it.

The skill of hearing is performed as a sensory function (Brinkman, Segool, Pham, & Carlson, 2007). It uses only the ears while listening combines various or diverse senses such as seeing, hearing and touch. As a skill, listening involves reception of sound waves through the ear and movement to the brain where it is processed to create meaning. While listening, the individual also observes what is heard and admire the body language and behavior of the speaker to enhance interpretation of what is said by the speaker. Listening helps in creating a good relationship with others when we get to understand them.

D2.) Non-verbal Communication

Role of non-verbal communication in an interview

Nonverbal communication is indispensable to ones capacity to network with others and navigate social circumstances as well as their surroundings. Therefore, nonverbal communication offers a dominant source of comprehension applicable in the field of therapy. A counselor, who is accustomed to nonverbal expressions of an individual, in addition to actual words spoken by him or her, often finds it easy to identify when the speech and body language of that person are not coordinated ("Nonverbal Communication," 2017).

Besides, the therapist may get to learn more from the person's gestures than from their utterances. Application of such cues and other non-verbal communication assists the counselor as well as the client to recognize and have contact with their deeper emotional concerns. Focusing on an individual's non-verbal communication help one in enhancing their awareness of the application of non-verbal communication during personal relations (Klagsbrun, 2017). Use of nonverbal communication entails somatic experiencing and in body-mind psychotherapy in the field of therapy.

D3.) The Nursing Council of Hong Kong: Professional Boundaries

The boundaries of professional practice among nurses are defined by the scope of Professional Practice provided by the Nursing Council of Hong Kong. The importance of the boundaries is to ensure proper communication of activities, responsibilities, and roles authorized to be performed by nurses ("The Nursing Council of Hong Kong - Scope of Professional Practice," 2015).

A proper education and understanding of the boundaries placed on the nursing practice by the Nursing Council of Hong Kong ensure that they utilize their skills thoroughly while protecting rights attributed to patients placed under their care (McDaniel, Doherty, & Hepworth, 2014). The professional boundaries defined under the scope of professional practice guides the conduct of all qualified and registered nurses as stipulated in the Code of Ethics and Professional Conducts for Nurses in Hong Kong issued by the council. Therefore, nurses are responsible for their practice as well as conduct. The boundaries are established within The Code, which conveys values guiding the profession while instituting a framework adhered to by the scope of professional practice.

D4.) Strategies to Manage own Behavior

The interview environment often creates stress among the nurses and their patients. The front line of any medical care entails nurses who often puts pressure on the patients hence causing them get involved in bad life choices. Therefore, they need to place themselves under better care to ensure they are in good health (Howe, Worrall, & Hickson, 2008). Focusing is an appropriate way to manage their activities to ensure they offer care services while in a good state. Focusing helps them in coping with any personal and professional burnout or overload.

Patients, on the other hand also experience various stresses in their lives. They have to deal with surgery, pain, treatments and also the environment of the hospital. They get burdened with both emotional and financial burdens while undergoing treatment. The constant worries regarding the future need to be controlled, and the effective method entails focusing (Klagsbrun, 2017). Focusing helps in facing difficulties that arise during treatment or diagnosis through the creation of new ways applicable in adapting to challenging situations. It makes change within an individual by allowing them to be self-reflective through a compassionate monolog. The effect is a minimized level of anxiety to themselves as well as those around them.

E.) Environment Consideration

The environment is a sensitive aspect of therapy and a vital factor in the success of the therapeutic process. Several aspects of the environment need to be considered. The paper will look at mainly two issues, and this entails the social environment and the physical o...