Some Practical Suggestions for Speaking Respectfully, Non-judgmentally, with Acceptance and as an Equal Partner:
- How have you been since we last met?
- What are your hopes and expectations from our meeting today?
- I appreciate your honesty; thank you for letting me know your thoughts about how you want to move forward
- Who or what is important to you in your life right now? and how we might work together?
- Would you be open to working together to develop a plan to help you reach your goal?
Reflect and Ask Yourself:
- How am I speaking to this person? (Respectfully? As an equal? Judgmentally? Accepting of person’s decisions?)
- How do I feel when someone speaks to me this way? (Good? Disrespected? Not heard? Judged? Accepted? As an equal?)
- What would I want someone to say to me if I were in a similar situation?