Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication

Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication

Shadia Avila

University of Phoenix

Communication Skills for the Human Services Professional

BSHS 322

Dr. Robert Fahey

March 10, 2008

Introduction

Verbal and non-verbal communication is when you are trying to convey a message to another person. We usually communicate with others by speaking, listening, making signals and even making noise. We as people come from different backgrounds, cultures and this causes for them to have different personalities and attitudes. Communication is intended for you to speak and the other person to listen, but speaking can be done in a different way, for example a person who can not speak verbally uses sign language and that is the non-verbal communication. Either way of communication is done in order to relay a message and for the person on the other end to listen to it. In order to communicate whether it be verbal or non-verbal eye contact is very important. Murphy & Dillion (2003) stated, “It is important that we convey continuous interest in each person by making periodic eye contact” (p.58). Acknowledging that we are speaking clearly and allowing the other person to listening carefully is through the contact of our eyes and a sign that we are speaking and listening with interest.

Verbal Communication

Communicating verbally is through speaking and having other hear what we are saying. As clinicians we must learn to hear what is being said in order to evaluate what the person is thinking and trying to tell us. We must allow the client to speak clearly in order to communicate what they need and in doing this we can clarify what we have heard by restating what was said and having the client acknowledge that what was heard by the clinicians is correct. When this is done properly we can determine what the problem is and now can determine how to solve it. Riley J. (2000) stated, “While the sender is sending a message she is interpreting the receiver’s message, and as...