Communication Skills

Communication allows you to understand what others say, sign, or write. and for them to understand your responses.  For most of us, the purpose of verbal communication is to get your message across to others clearly and unambiguously.  It is a process that can be fraught with error and with messages often being misinterpreted.

There are many specialized fields of focus in communication, including nonverbal communication, verbal communication, and symbolic communication.

Nonverbal communication deals with facial expressions and body motions. 93% of “emotional meaning” we take from other people is found in the person’s facial expressions and tone of voice, the other 7% is taken from what the person actually says.

Verbal communication is when we communicate our message verbally to whoever is receiving the message.

Symbolic communications are the things that we have given meaning to and that represent a certain idea we have in place, for example, the American flag is a symbols that represent freedom for the Americans themselves, or imperialism and evil for some other countries.

For most of us, the purpose of verbal communication is to get your message across to others clearly and unambiguously.  It is a process that can be fraught with error and with messages often being misinterpreted. When this isn't detected, it can cause confusion, wasted effort and missed opportunity. 

By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you send do not necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of both personally and professional goals.

In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many individuals continue to struggle, unable to verbally communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively. This inability often results in many interpersonal problems. 

Problems with communication can occur at every stage of the communication process.  To deliver your messages effectively, you must break down the barriers that exist in each of these stages of the communication process.  If your message is too long, too complicated, is disorganized, poorly expressed, or presented too rapidly, you can expect the message to be misunderstood and misinterpreted. Use of poor verbal and body language can also confuse the message. 

In working with clients over the years I have found that good verbal and nonverbal communication skills do not come naturally and that many of my clients need to consciously learn and practice good communication skills.

Learning about the way you communicate with others and the barriers you unintentionally create can help you in your personal and professional life.  You can learn to animate your voice and control its volume, learn to be more concise, make meaningful eye contact, to effectively use gestures, and avoid sending mixed messages.  You can also learn how to make a more positive first impression. 

You can also learn how to make a more positive first impression.  It takes just a quick glance for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your demeanor, your mannerisms, and how you are dressed.  These first impression are difficult to reverse or undo, so making a first encounter positive is very important since it frequently sets the tone for the all the relationships that follows. Accordingly, whether they are in your career or personal life, it’s important to know how to create a good first impression.

With the assistance of a therapist or coach you may find that many of your personal problems are founded in, or are complicated by, the lack of good verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Then, after an accurate assessment of your skills, you can learn new ones.

For more information about communication, please click on the linked websites listed below.

If you really want help dealing with your feelings and emotions, changing your behavior, and improving your life and the approach and office hours of typical therapists and counselors do not fit your life style or personal needs, I may have a solution.

By using very flexible office appointments, telephone consultations, email, teleconferences, and the willingness to travel and meet with you personally in your home, office, or other location,  I can be available to help you anytime and anywhere.

Feel free to contact me now for your free initial consultation. Once you become an existing client, you will be given a  pager  number where you can reach me whenever you need.