How to Coach Yourself and Others Coaching and Counseling in Difficult Circumstances | Page 73

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sometimes people will, the connections they make between a word or a thing seems to be able to, I
seem to be able to be able to follow that link and just stay with it in a sense.”
Name themes (2/28)
Once themes have been identified through listening, these can be named and attempts made to
further discuss them with the patient concerned. Doing this might ‘help them to retain some order in
their disorder’.
“So if there's religious themes there and you've covered a whole range of areas that have some kind
of religious element to it, or like naming that in some way. Or maybe there's a theme around
crucifixion, you can say, crucifixion seems to be coming up a lot in what you're talking about, and
then that maybe gives a framework by which people can understand themselves as well.”
Writing (5/28)
Asking patients to write down what they wanted to say, and bring it on a piece of paper. Nurses
suggested that this ‘slowed the thinking down’ and helped patients realise what they wanted to
communicate.
Send away to think (2/28)
When attempts to understand what the patient says completely fail, they can be asked to go away
and think about what they want to say and return when things are clearer.
Remind, prompt to topic (10/28)
If the patient thought blocks, then they can be prompted with ‘what they’ve just said’. alternatively
if he or she goes off on a tangent, questions can be repeated or ‘gentle reminders’ given about the
topic of the conversation: ‘just keep repeating the question and bringing them back to it’ or saying
‘can we just come back to this?’. Once again nurses mentioned difficulties in staying focused
themselves whe