A practical guide for those in the helping professions.

Introduction. Why do we need to communicate well? Tips about the tips! Book structure. 1. How Do We Communicate? Communicating verbally - face to face. Communicating verbally - giving presentations. Communicating verbally - on the telephone. Non-verbal communication - writing. Non-verbal communication - electronic written communication. Non-verbal communication - body language. Non-verbal communication - communicating imaginatively! Different modes of communication - communicating on to one. Different modes of communication - communicating with groups. 2. Skills for Communication. Listening skills. Questioning skills. Assertiveness skills. Information-giving skills. Advice-giving skills. Reassurance. Disclosure. Challenging. Negotiation skills. Dismantling barriers. 3. Emotions in Communication. Clients and workers have feelings! Angry feelings - conflict management. Handling stress. Using humour. 4. Communication in Different Settings. Where to meet? 5. Structured Communication. Preparing yourself first. Scene-setting. Preparing the location. Setting the tone. Introductions. Relationship length. Setting goals. Handling interruptions. Summarizing. Endings. 6. Communicating with Different People. Working with men and women. Working with children. Working with people of different races and cultures. Working with clients who do not speak English. Working with disabled and differently-abled people. Working with older people. Working with people of different sexualities. Wealth, class and society. 7. Communicating with Self-awareness. Know yourself. Personal bias and agendas. Making judgements. Think about your expectations. Using labels. 8. Professional Boundaries and Responsibilities. Boundaries. Confidentiality. Being clear about roles and responsibilities. Communicating in the workplace. 9. Rights, Advocacy and Meeting Clients' Needs. Meeting needs. Understanding rights. Helping your client to make decisions and choices. Being an advocate. 10. Communication and Procedures. Know the rules. Assessment. Recording and reporting. Background checks and safeguarding. Dealing with abuse. Responding to complaints. Supervision. Appraisal. Epilogue.