Identifying Roadblocks

Following are various scenarios illustrating workers' responses in a variety of situations. Examine the responses in each case and decide whether the worker is blocking communication or enhancing it. Do the worker's responses cut off further communication from the other person or seem to encourage the person to continue?

1. Carlos is afraid his mother is dying. He is talking to the worker in the hospital emergency room about an "attack" his mother seemed to have when she could not breathe and turned blue. She was brought to the hospital in an ambulance, and Carlos is waiting to see whether she will be all right. He is distraught. The worker says, "You certainly did the right thing to call the ambulance. Don't worry she'll be all right. We have very good doctors here." Can Carlos continue to express his anxiety freely? Is this communication enhanced or blocked?
2. Anita and her family moved, and her parents feel Anita is not adjusting well to the move. Anita wants to return to her old school to be with her friends. Her parents ask the worker to talk to Anita about her desire to return to her former school. Anita talks about how strange the new school is and how much she misses her old friends. The worker replies, "Tell me something about your friends where you used to live." Can Anita continue to tell the worker what she misses about her old school? Is this communication enhanced or blocked?
3. Elvita has decided to leave an abusive relationship, but she feels guilty leaving her abuser's children behind. She talks about how she knows that once she leaves, she cannot have any more contact with the children; and she is worried about how that will affect these children whom she has come to love and wants to protect. The worker asks, "Just when did you start to think of these children as if they were your own?" Can Elvita continue to discuss her concerns about her abuser's children? Is this communication enhanced or blocked?
4. Ed suffers from chronic mental illness and needs medications to maintain his mental health. Recently he went to several workshops on the use of supplements and vitamins to maintain mental health. He wants to discuss these ideas with his worker. He makes it clear that he is not really thinking of going off his prescriptions, but he would like to consider trying these supplements in addition to his medication. The worker says, "It sounds like you really got a lot out of that workshop." Can Ed continue to explore the things he learned at the workshop with the worker? Is this communication enhanced or blocked?
5. Shawna wants to go to college. She attended a poor rural school where most of the students do not go on to college. Her scores for the entrance exams were very poor in math, and she feels unsure that the developmental course being offered to her at the college will really help her catch up. She seems anxious and uncertain. The worker says, "You don't seem to quite understand what developmental courses are. Look at the number of people who take them. Look at how many of those people finish school. You need to think about this a little less emotionally." Will Shawna feel comfortable in the future talking about her concerns about going to college with this worker? Is this communication enhanced or blocked?