Words Are Powerful

I'm a child/adult therapist these days at a shelter in Scottsdale, AZ. I work for a wonderful organization called Chrysalis. I work with victims of domestic violence or children who have witnessed dv. It is a difficult job but I'm learning so much and I love what I do!

As part of my job I facilitate a group therapy session 1 night a week. My groups so far have been about communication and its vital importance. I've been teaching a few key principles about "healthy" communication styles, how communication is much more than talking, and hoping to give the women in my group some "tools" they can use when faced in difficult situations in the shelter and outside the shelter.

The principle of my first group (last week) was: "Seek first to understand before being understood." This session was a lot about learning different communication types, body language, tone, inflection, non verbal communication, and so forth. It was learning about how sometimes you don't "see" the same picture that someone else "sees" or expects you to "See".

The principle of this week's group was: "Just because you can doesn't mean you should." This group was about the power of language (gossip, lies, etc.). It was also about the power of listening and how it is the key to successful communication.

Preparing and facilitating these groups has once again reminded me about the importance of communication and listening! There is such a power in the words we send and receive. We really should be more accountable for what, where, and how we communicate!