Your Progress

Lesson 1: Awareness of Ourselves, Our Rights and Communication Issues

A. Understanding Ourselves, Each Other & Our Profession

If we express ourselves clearly in communicating and asking to get our needs met, we will feel appreciated, respected, and understood. Think about each of these ideas and how they relate to you. In this introductory exercise, notice the things that I've asked you to review: your expectations, current realities, disappointments, wishes and hopes, future possibilities, personal commitment, beliefs about conflict, and how you might want to enhance your communication skills. While completing this section, it's important to remember that the major reason to communicate is for our own mental health.

Under each heading, put your cursor in the text box and type in a few key ideas in response to each idea. BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT SECTION: When you have completed the page, print out a copy for your reference. The first step towards making changes, improvements and meeting your goals is knowing where you want to be. Not only will writing down your goals help to clarify them, but this page will also serve as a handy reminder as you strive to reach them!

Past Expectations Regarding Your Ability to Better Communicate
In this space, type in some of the key expectations that you have had in the past.

Current Realities
In this space, type in a few brief thoughts about where you are today, both personally and professionally in terms of getting your needs met successfully.

Major Disappointments
Note areas that have been disappointing to you about how you have communicated with significant others.

Present Wishes, Hopes, Future Possibilities
Jot down some future hopes regarding your ability to better communicate with people.

Personal Commitment After Completing this Course I Will Be More Able to…
Write down goals that you hope to achieve by dealing more effectively with difficult people and situations.

Beliefs about Conflict: I Believe that Conflict…
List any feelings, both positive and negative, that you may have about conflict.

Why Should You Want to Enhance Your Communications Skills?
Note areas that could be improved in your own communication skills and what you might gain from that improvement.

Reminder: Be sure to print this page before moving on. The program will not save your entries as this is a practice exercise for your reference.

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A Word from Clarissa

Click > to hear Clarissa discuss developing awareness.

About this Lesson

Lesson 1 addresses awareness issues. Before you can solve a problem you have to know what it is.

A. Understanding Ourselves: Self-awareness is the first step.

B. Your Personal Bill of Rights:
It's important to be aware of your rights.

C. Suggestions: Here's how to act on your Bill of Rights.

D. Claiming Your Rights: How we sometimes deny our rights and what we can do to reclaim them.

E. Causes of Tension: Learn to identify common causes of emotional tension.

F. Workplace Game: A simple 10-minute game to improve your awareness and listening skills.

G. How Upsets Occur: Identify the 3 main categories of upsets and how to prevent them.

H. 5 Satir Modes: Spotting typical behaviors and learning how expressions don't always match inner feelings.

Lesson 1: Awareness of Ourselves, Our Rights and Communication Issues

A. Understanding Ourselves, Each Other & Our Profession

Past Expectations Regarding Your Ability to Better Communicate In this space, type in some of the key expectations that you have had in the past.

Current Realities In this space, type in a few brief thoughts about where you are today, both personally and professionally in terms of getting your needs met successfully.

Major Disappointments Note areas that have been disappointing to you about how you have communicated with significant others.

Present Wishes, Hopes, Future Possibilities Jot down some future hopes regarding your ability to better communicate with people.

Personal Commitment After Completing this Course I Will Be More Able to… Write down goals that you hope to achieve by dealing more effectively with difficult people and situations.

Beliefs about Conflict: I Believe that Conflict… List any feelings, both positive and negative, that you may have about conflict.

Why Should You Want to Enhance Your Communications Skills? Note areas that could be improved in your own communication skills and what you might gain from that improvement.