These are discussed in more detail below. Establishing rapport Establishing rapport is about making the person feel at ease and be comfortable in opening up. This process will also outline what you can do and how the talking process will work. In this process, the support worker will: • • • • • Introduce himself/herself; Explain what the process involves; Explain the confidentiality of the support relationship; Answer any questions the person may have before the support work begins; and Explain the limits and boundaries of the support work, i.e. that you cannot solve people’s problems or offer material/financial help. By beginning in a clear and open manner trust should begin to be established in the relationship. Exploration The next stage in support work is exploration. The client will tell their story and the listener will listen very carefully. This is where good listening skills are used. Listening skills involve many different aspects, such as: • Unspoken behaviour. The way you sit and move is very important to the client and will signal if you are paying attention and what you think about what is being said. • Observing your client’s non-verbal behaviour. You can get a good idea of your client’s emotional state by observing their expressions and body movements. It is helpful to observe all these signs, as they will provide you with more information. • Asking questions. Doing this will provide you with more information to understand your client better as well as show that you are listening and are interested. Open-ended questions are very helpful in drawing out more information. These start with ‘what’ or ‘how’ (such as: ‘What happened then?’; or ‘What did you feel and think when that happened?’). Questions starting with ‘why’ help discover reasons. Understanding While the person is speaking, and through the questions that you are asking, you will understand the client and their situation better. Usually, after they have told you their story, you can ask open-ended or closed questions (one-answer questions) to fill in the things you do not understand. You can summarise, in a non-judgemental way, what the person has said, almost copying what he or she has said using his or her words. The listener summarises what the person has said as well as the feelings he or she has expressed. This helps the client understand his or her own problem and feel understood. In addition, any misunderstandings on the part of the listener can be corrected. For example: Client: ‘My daughter committed suicide after her boyfriend left her. I am so heartbroken over her death, but, at times, I also feel angry with her for doing it.’ Listener: ‘Since your daughter died, you are feeling both sad about losing her and angry with her. I see your sadness by your tears.’ 118 Community Healing: A training manual for Zimbabwe