111). Burnard recommends the following strategy, with the acronym "SOLER-:.
Sit Squarely in relation to the client.
Maintain an Open position.
Lean slightly towards the client.
Maintain reasonable Eye contact with the client.
Relax!.
(Burnard, 1994, p.118).
The belief is that these simple actions will facilitate a two-way flow between practitioner and client, providing the ideal climate for a caring, therapeutic relationship.
With regard to the environment, Burgoon (1994) discusses many aspects in detail. He states that attractive rooms create feelings of well-being, which may be conducive to good communication. Also mentioned is the use of furniture as barriers: this is the cliché of the doctor who sits distant and aloof behind his enormous desk, making the patient feel "small- and unimportant. In accordance with the SOLER strategy above, this is not an "open- position and should be avoided. The ideal environment is one that is pleasant, relaxed and not over-stimulating or intimidating to either practitioner or client. Davis and Fallowfield (1991) recommend that the environment be a private room without a telephone, and with soundproofing, in order to prevent distractions or interruptions.
Figure 1 - Levels of interpersonal skills, taken from Kagan et al (1986).
The model shown above (which has been discussed in our lectures), is presented by its authors as a general model for interpersonal skills in healthcare. The author of this essay's research into the literature on practitioner/client relationships has shown that the bottom "rung- - insight into self and others - appears to be particularly important. As Burnard states: "self-awareness allows us to discriminate between our own problems and those of the client- (Burgoon, 1994, p.49). It is important that the practitioner leaves her own problems at the door of the consulting room and focus on the task in hand: the therapeutic relationship with the client.
