communication therapy

What is therapy for communication issues?

Every relationship’s problems are typically based on poor communication. However, very few people are aware of or recognize that they need to improve their communication skills. Each person has a unique communication style. It may depend on how and with whom they grow up, their personalities, and the people they connect with. A great approach to get better at this, dissolve communication issues, and strengthen relationships is through communication therapy.

There are numerous therapy choices, such as family therapy, couples counselling, or private therapy, depending on the type of relationship.

For instance, people who struggle to communicate and maintain healthy relationships due to suppressed childhood trauma may be able to uncover and address these thoughts and feelings in therapy, which could help them advance their verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Take a look at Relationship and Communication expert Sophie Parienti‘s self-paced online course – Transformative Communication.

For intimate partners who desire to improve weak communication abilities with their romantic partners, relationship therapy is a possibility.

People who decide to get help from a mental health expert and work through their problems will soon learn the communication patterns that are the root of their relationship conflict.

It is there that the work begins. The objective is to investigate and comprehend these patterns so that you can spot them, be aware of when they happen, and take appropriate action to create a constructive and productive communication style.

You can study and practice innovative methods of communication. You can also accept your own communication issues and work on developing healthy communication skills with your partner or family.

The importance of therapy for communication issues

A great place to begin is by working with therapists, coaches, and mental health professionals. However, most patients soon discover that it may be much more than that. 

You may take an internal path during therapy. It frequently forces you to examine and consider every aspect of who you are, how you treat those aspects, and how you interact with others. It is not surprising that discussing communication problems is frequently brought up while dealing with mental health difficulties. 

Your therapist and yourself will be your first obstacle to overcome, not your family or lover. Let’s say you wish to begin therapy for your communication problems.

If so, you need to be aware that you and your therapist will need to work together right away to develop effective communication and a trusting relationship. You can achieve good communication by addressing and resolving each of your potential communication problems one at a time. 

Prevalence of communication issues

There are many communication issues, and they frequently coexist with issues in the workplace, in relationships, and in school. According to a previous study, nearly half of the children who sought services for mental illness had trouble communicating.

Adults’ memories of communication problems might last for a very long period. Nearly 22% of Americans surveyed reported having communication issues. These were probably connected to issues with relationships, inadequate social abilities, sadness, and anxiety.

Communication issues and mental health challenges

Problems with communication are frequently regarded as being inherent to mental health illnesses. According to the DSM 5, communication disorders are neurological conditions that affect a child’s ability to communicate.

It’s critical to understand that there is always a cause for communication problems, whether they effect you or other people in your life. A person’s self-esteem and capacity for self-management can be adversely affected by trauma, other mental health issues, and a lack of social support. Because of this, counselling may be crucial in a person’s quest for improved communication skills.

Types of communication issues

Communication skills are not something you are born with; they must be developed through practise and patience. Everybody is unique, every circumstance is unique, and we all undergo constant change. You must first recognise your challenges and weak areas if you want to start improving your communications skills.

The following is a list of some of the most typical problems:

Inactive listening

The listener is not striving to comprehend the other person’s viewpoint or pay attention during inactive listening. They might also be preoccupied with organising what they want to say next, concentrating instead on being ready for the other to finish.

The person speaking could feel irrelevant, unheard, and inferior after receiving this reaction. Sometimes we overlook the fact that listening is just as important as talking. The good news is that therapists are skilled listeners.

Making assumptions

When one person conjures up notions about what the other person is attempting to say, this defence mechanism kicks in. They do this without seeking confirmation, offering more information, or allowing the other person to defend themselves.

Interrupting

It goes without saying that this one is when someone is explaining something and someone else cuts them off. As a result, the speaker feels unheard and starts to doubt the significance of what they have to say.

Beating around the bush

The behaviour is indicative of someone who is concerned about the outcome of communication. They can avoid any negative reactions that could arise from being clear and straightforward by over-explaining their point before presenting it.

Passive/aggressive communication

Other bad communication issues include passive or hostile communication. When disagreements erupt, passive communication—also known as avoidant communication—occurs when a person hides their genuine ideas and feelings. They are prevented from expressing themselves and from naturally contributing to a conversation.

On the other side, someone who is aggressive or seeking is motivated to express themselves through conflict. They frequently take charge of a conversation or an argument by yelling, shouting, or demeaning the opposing party.

Verbal and nonverbal communication

Communication skills can improve on verbal, but also nonverbal levels. How we In addition to verbal levels, communication skills can also be improved nonverbally. The actions we take and the way we communicate with others matter just as much as what we say.

Non-verbal communication includes:

Body language

The physical representation of who we are is our body. Posture, body language, hand gestures, and facial expressions are all ways that thoughts and feelings can be expressed. Gaining knowledge of them can be highly beneficial for enhancing relationships and communication abilities.

Physical touch

Not just in romantic relationships, but in all human interactions, physical touch is extremely important. Simply because touching our skin elicits an emotional response and a sense of connection, there are instances when this is a lot more effective communication method than spoken communication.

Taking action

Words are less powerful than actions. Even after hearing it a million times, it continues to be true.

Acting on anything entails expressing our beliefs, goals, ideas, or emotions. When we do something, like give a present or offer a cup of tea, we reveal a part of ourselves that is perhaps difficult to communicate verbally.

Eye contact

If the eyes really are the window to the soul, then good communication depends on making eye contact. The speaker ultimately wants to be heard, and making eye contact signals that they have the listener’s entire attention. Therefore, the two go hand in hand.

Silence

Silence makes a statement. People should take this into account when attempting to comprehend someone who is silent because they may feel many things but choose not to express them.

External barriers to communication

Even though you try to enhance your communication skills and work on problems you have with others and yourself, some outside variables make it challenging for you to make progress or accomplish your objectives. For instance, a lisp can make it difficult for others to comprehend what a person is saying, but fortunately, speech therapy is available in this circumstance.

Among these challenges are cultural differences. You may experience communication difficulty or even linguistic difficulties when conversing with someone who holds different ideas and practises due to their origins in a different culture.

People use culture as a filter on reality, and these filters vary. When we miscommunicate with someone from a different culture, we are occasionally perplexed, and other times, they just communicate through a different filter.

Let’s say you are unable to resolve a communication problem with a person from a different culture. In that situation, doing online research is a great way to start broadening your perspective and educating yourself on various norms.

Our anti-communication culture is a complex barrier to getting the optimal communication outcomes. Isolation and technological advancements contribute to this culture by making us feel more isolated and less communicative in daily life.

Companies are increasingly using remote workers, and practical services like home delivery have an impact on the social wellbeing of many people. It’s crucial to make an effort to maintain relationships with others if long stretches of isolation have had a negative impact on your life—especially if you’ve noticed communication problems getting worse.

How therapy can help with poor communication

To address communication problems, several therapy strategies are used, some of which have profound effects on people’s lives.

A trained therapist can provide the patient with a secure environment where they can be open and disclose sensitive information, become aware of their communication issues, and address any mental health issues that may be the root cause. They can then be introduced to a number of methods for enhancing communication problems. The awareness gained in treatment might eventually result in improved interpersonal interactions and even group communication abilities. Effective communication can be the solution to both small and large problems in every area of life.

Communication skills and techniques

Learn to get your point across clearly

Words and effective word choice are your friends. It is not necessary to get a master’s degree in English to understand how to question yourself whether you have included all the supporting elements, whether you are adding anything unnecessary, and how to watch the other person for cues on whether to elaborate.

Assertive communication

What occurs when a communicator is neither passive nor hostile? An “assertive” communicator respects the other person’s limits and right to participate in the interaction while expressing themselves honestly and freely when appropriate.

When implemented, assertive communication is regarded as the more effective style and can help to guarantee that everyone is on the same page.

Communicate with intention

Practice self-awareness as one of your key communication improvement strategies. Know what you want to get from the other person, what you want to say to them, and how you want them to respond.

Make it a practise to consider the following before deciding to speak with someone:

• What do you want to achieve?
• Who or what is the other party hoping to gain?
• How are you coming across?
• Is it OK to communicate at this time? Is there a time in the future that might be better?

‘I’ Statements

Understanding that you can only accurately portray yourself and your own views is another essential component of effective communication. One of the acceptable methods to explain things so that the other person’s sense of self isn’t felt to be imposed is to use the pronoun “I” rather than “you.” When each person assumes responsibility for himself, relationships are solid.

Taking the next step to your well-being

Finding social support through individual or couples counselling is one of the best things you can take if you are having communication issues. There are several online resources available to help you find the specific kind of support you require. You can get assistance from therapists who are well-versed in typical communication patterns and how to deal with them.