Erica Sood, PhD's
Normalize-Ask-Pause-Connect Method
"It can be hard for children with chronic conditions and their family members to start the conversation about emotional difficulties. If the healthcare team isn’t asking or talking about emotional health, patients and families assume that the healthcare setting is not an appropriate place to have these conversations," says Erica Sood, PhD.
Dr. Sood's N-A-P-C approach is included within the American Board of Pediatrics Roadmap Project as a video resource for health care professionals to build capability in supporting the emotional health of patients and families.
N-A-P-C is based on well-established, fundamental therapeutic communication skills: normalization of emotional responses, open-ended questions, active listening, reflection of feelings, compassionate silence, and identification of strengths and supports.
Normalize-Ask-Pause-Connect: A Clinical Approach to Address the Emotional Health of Pediatric Patients with Chronic Conditions and Their Families was recently published in The Journal of Pediatrics. The article describes how initiating discussions with patients and families about emotional health, beginning at the time of diagnosis, can prevent the emergence or worsening of mental health symptoms. Having these conversations early and often helps patients and families understand that their feelings are common and expected, can identify early signs of distress, and can connect families with available support.
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