-By Timothy Lyons
The purpose of the statements of help like education statements, supportive statements, empowerment and reframe statements during therapy is to assist a client in overcoming a crisis situation These statements when used properly by the human services worker allow a person to cope with a situation by helping to see it in a different light.
Another of the statements of help is the educational statement. The educational statement usually contains informative facts that can help the client overcome their faulty perception of an event. This is done when the service worker (SW) gives information in the form of facts such as when the client is in crisis because they been abused by a significant other. When the SW tells the client that although this is a difficult situation and that 20 percent of relationships in this category also go through some type of trauma but the survivors of the abuse recover at a very high rate, the client then knows that they are not alone and they can get help, they have been educated about the situation.
Statements of help as a tool in therapy
The Supportive statement in the statements of help category in this case does not need facts but can show that the client has a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. The SW might tell the client that I think that your feelings and reaction in this situation are totally understandable. There have been many persons in your situation and they have recovered. You can also believe that you will recover from this situation as well.
The Empowerment statement would have the SW telling the client that they have choices and can make a difference in their own lives. It is one of the most useful statements of help. Although the client was abused and had little choice in that matter, it was not their fault. They now have the ability to move forward and they are in charge of that recovery. It gives the person who had no choice the ability to see that they do have choices now and can have some power in their lives.
The reframe is a good tool in that the SW can help the client to see the silver lining in the crisis. Perhaps the SW might tell the client that this was an unfortunate situation. You have been abused here. The things is that because of this problem you are now receiving good care for your future.
The types of statements of help can be used to help the client to overcome crisis.