Improving Communication in Mental Health Settings: Evidence-based Recommendations from Practitioner-led Research

Improving Communication in Mental Health Settings draws on empirical studies of real-world settings to demonstrate contemporary practice-based evidence, providing effective strategies for communicating with patients/clients in mental health settings.

The book integrates clinical experience and language-based evidence drawn from qualitative research. Drawing on studies that utilize scientific language-based approaches such as discourse and conversation analysis, it focuses on social interaction between professionals and patients/clients to demonstrate effective communication practices. Chapters are led by clinical professionals and feature a range of mental health settings, different mental health conditions and types of patient/client, and evidence-based recommendations.

This book is an essential guide for professionals working in mental health and/or social work, and those training or working in clinical areas of mental health practice.

Michelle O’Reilly is an associate professor of communication in mental health at the University of Leicester, UK.

Jessica Nina Lester is an associate professor of inquiry methodology in the School of Education at Indiana University, Bloomington, USA.