Mindful Communication: How to Create Real Dialogue and Healthy Relationships

“The path of practice taught by the Buddha is meant to transform our actions, our speech, our thinking and our relationships. How do we put these teachings into practice to make conversations and connections more meaningful? How can we use our spiritual practice to deepen our relationships personally and professionally? What tools do we have inwardly and outwardly to bring about these changes in our lives? Training ourselves to speak in a wise and non-harmful way is one of the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path. In this program, we will explore how to bring more mindfulness and care to our communication — our listening, our speaking, and even our thinking. The tools shared will be a combination of the core guidelines for Wise Speech offered by the Buddhist tradition, as well as the contemporary discipline of Nonviolent Communication. These practices form a powerful foundation for cultivating insight, awareness, self-understanding and empathy. Through strengthening our capacity to stay present and to be more skillful in difficult situations, the pain and misunderstandings that come out of unwise and habitual speech can begin to ease, and our conversations and relationships can grow in meaningful, healthy ways. Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public. Continuing Education (CE) credit available. See below for more information. Health care professionals will be able to incorporate the practices and perspectives offered during this workshop when working with clients/patients and coworkers. Mindful Communication improves the quality of information flow in a clinical setting by deepening three components of communication – presence, intention, and attention. With clear intention and attention, the flow of information is more clearly received and expressed, reducing clinical errors and developing a supportive environment for patients/clients. Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals- Based on the content of this program, you will be able to:

• Explain the concept of “presence” and its benefits for communication with clients/patients and co-workers, including how this practice may reduce stress and professional burnout;
• Demonstrate the clinical skill of pausing, and describe how this skill can improve communication with patients/clients and health care team members;
• Explain the differences between “needs” and “strategies,” and how understanding this difference when working with clients results in improved clinical outcomes;
• Describe the therapeutic skills of “listening with the intention to understand””;
• Describe the difference between empathy and non-empathic forms of communication, and how empathic communication may improve the clinician-patient relationship;
• Demonstrate three forms of offering empathic connection, in ways that may improve patient care.

Young Adults (18-26) and Seniors (65+ with limited income) are invited to attend this day for $45.”