Teaching office-based couples counseling skills: enhancing residents professional and personal relationship skills

Effective communication skills are essential for: 1) developing therapeutic physician-patient relationships; 2) negotiating within healthcare teams; and 3) maintaining meaningful personal relationships. This article describes a behavioral science seminar designed to teach residents the fundamentals of couple dynamics and familiarize them with a variety of tools for enhancing communication skills. The seminar consists of a didactic portion, a review of learning materials and instructional DVD, and group discussion. Learning objectives include: a) recognizing the developmental stages of relationships; b) identifying potential communication barriers; and c) use of communication skills tools in three contexts including patient care, healthcare teams, and personal relationships. The seminar is conducted for third-year residents on an annual basis; concepts and materials are reinforced throughout all 3 years of training.