SIM Lab Reflection


            Overall, I think the SIM encounter today went well. I used active and empathetic listening with the client’s mother, I think my descriptions of her daughter’s results were well-received and understood. At the end of the SIM lab, I asked the mother multiple times if she had any questions, and if I had a chance to re-do it, I would not have asked so many times. I also noticed that when I am trying to actively listen and someone asks me a question, I have a habit of saying “yeah” which is a way I mean to say “I understand your question”, but in this situation, the mother had just asked, “Will my daughter ever be normal?”, so my response, “yeah”, was very inappropriate. My overall response to her question went pretty well, but I should refrain from saying “yeah” in the future.

            An attitude of caring can be communicated through body language and ensuring that you are going to work together and do everything you can to help. Body language is crucial, and I think sitting next to the client and alternating between looking at the same paper and making eye contact really enhances a caring atmosphere. Additionally, making sure the client knows that you are going to be working together—this is not a list of chores for the mother to do, but some ideas that we can all work through together. Assure the client that they are not alone in this process. For future experiences, I will make sure I am aware of my body language and habitual responses, make eye contact, use layman’s terms, and assure the client that the two us will work as a team.

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