Verbal and Non-Verbal Facilitation

• Indicate to your patient that you are interested in what they are saying and you are keen for them to continue

Techniques: encouragement, silence, repetition, paraphrasing, sharing your thoughts

1. Encouragement: provide your patients the necessary confidence to continue
   • Non-Verbal: head nods, facial expressions
   • Verbal: ‘uh-huh’ ‘I see’ ‘go on’ ‘yes’
2. Silence: Non-verbal attentive silence
   • Brief silences can easily and naturally facilitate your patient to contribute more
   • Encourages your patient to express their thoughts or feelings out loud
3. Repetition (Echoing)
   • Repeating the last few words your patient has said encourages them to continue or elaborate
4. Paraphrasing
   • Restating in your own words the content or feelings behind your patient’s message
   • This sharpens your understanding
5. Sharing your thoughts
   • Sharing why you are asking questions
   • ‘Sometimes, chest pains can be brought on by stress – do you think that might be true for you?’

Exercise: Brainstorm situations in which each of the facilitation techniques would best be used. Think of situations where they might be used inappropriately.

Silverman, J., Kurtz, S., & Draper, J. (2013). Skills for Communicating with Patients (Thrid Edit). London: Radcliffe Publishing.