Before discussing assertiveness activities, it is essential to review the role assertiveness can play in our clients’ lives. Assertiveness refers to the ability to express oneself directly and honestly in a way that is respectful to others. Assertiveness plays a crucial role in establishing boundaries with others and communicating your thoughts and feelings effectively. Keep reading to learn 8 assertive communication activities you can do with your clients in counseling sessions.
Assertiveness skills can be helpful for clients who are struggling with anger issues, depression, and anxiety. It can also be impactful for those who struggle to express their thoughts and emotions to others. This can occur within interpersonal relationships, with authority figures, or in the workplace. The use of this communication skill can help decrease stress and increase your sense of control in challenging situations.
Clients who struggle with being assertive may experience prolonged stress from avoiding conflict and develop resentments because they’re unable to express themselves. They may find themselves feeling anxious in situations where they want to express themselves but are unable to do so. Over time, a lack of assertiveness can contribute to feelings of powerlessness, low self-esteem, poor boundaries, and burnout.
How Assertive Communication Activities Can Help Your Clients
There are several reasons why you should consider incorporating assertiveness activities into your sessions. Assertive communication activities can help clients improve their self-esteem by practicing clear and effective communication patterns. Activities for assertive communication can increase your clients’ self-awareness of thoughts, emotions, and needs that they’re unable to communicate, and how it relates to their mental health concerns.
Over time, your client may notice an improvement in their problem-solving skills, which can be beneficial in various settings, like work and personal relationships. They may find that they develop fewer resentments and have a decrease in their anxiety and depressive symptoms. While some clients may be aware that being assertive is difficult for them, others may not have this insight into their behaviors. Individuals who struggle with people-pleasing behaviors may also benefit from activities that promote assertive communication.
There are several ways to help your client develop assertiveness skills. This can include role-playing, journaling, providing direct feedback, and utilizing therapy aids such as worksheets. TherapyByPro is a leading resource for mental health professionals, offering a diverse range of clinical worksheets, including assertive communication worksheets. Examples of worksheets that could be used in therapy sessions include:
Assertive Communication Activities for Your Clients
As you review our list of activities for assertive communication, consider how these activities can be tailored to meet the needs of your clients. This can include making it more active or age-appropriate if you work with younger clients.
- Roleplaying can be used to help clients practice using calm, clear, and assertive statements. You can act out situations in which they struggle to be forceful, such as work-related situations, in relationships, or with authority figures. This exercise can be helpful for those who struggle to say no, have people-pleasing tendencies, boundary issues, and experience social anxiety.
- “I Statements” are a communication pattern that can be helpful for those who struggle with avoidance, low self-esteem, and interpersonal challenges. For this activity, you can ask your client to identify a recent situation where they could have been more assertive. You can then ask them to complete the sentence “I feel___ when you ____ because____.” You can then explore different versions of this statement and act it out if appropriate. This could also be used as a homework assignment, where you ask them to write five I-statements they could have or did use before their next session.
- If you have a client who struggles to recognize when assertiveness could be used, they may benefit from a sorting activity. This can be done through a conversation or as a sorting activity with props. You will present a list of responses and behaviors, and ask your client to identify them as passive, aggressive, or assertive. This can help you clarify misunderstandings and identify any sticking points they may have.
- Another idea is to provide your client with a script that will guide them in an assertive conversation. After reading the script, ensure that you have time to process their experience. Ask questions about how it felt to follow the script, how it could be adapted to their life, and how they see themselves incorporating it into their life. You can also review the role that body language plays during conversations.
- People-pleasing behaviors can lead to clients saying yes when they want to say no. To further explore this, have your client create a hierarchy of situations in which they struggle to be assertive. This can include setting boundaries, codependency, social anxiety, and burnout. You can then start with the easiest situation and role-play your client saying no. Allow time to process how they felt about saying no and if there are any changes they would like to make.
- If you want to take role-playing a step further, you can record your client. This allows them to see their use of assertive behaviors. You may find this particularly helpful for those who are working on their body language, tone, and the content of what they say. Watching a recording can increase self-awareness and help clients identify nonverbal cues that may not align with the assertive changes they’re trying to make.
- If you’re working with a client who struggles with their identity, emotional expression, or people-pleasing behaviors, you may decide to use a values clarification activity. Take the time to explore your clients’ values and how they translate into different areas of their lives. Be mindful of current boundaries that could be established to align their behaviors with their values better. For example, if someone claims to value quality time with their family but frequently accepts overtime, you could explore how establishing new boundaries could be beneficial. Perhaps they could work overtime once a week, or at a more reasonable rate.
- Letter writing is an exercise that can be helpful for clients struggling with unresolved anger, difficulty communicating, and those processing trauma. Ask your client to write an assertive letter to someone with whom they have not been able to use assertiveness in person. Please encourage them to be clear, direct, and respectful in their letter. They can identify unmet needs or feelings and state what they need from the other person. When they are finished, have your client read the letter aloud in session. Reflect on this experience and explore how you could be more assertive with this person moving forward.
Final Thoughts On Choosing The Right Assertive Communication Activities for your Clients
Thank you for reading through our resource on assertive communication activities for your clients. Assertiveness is a crucial communication skill that enables clients to express themselves respectfully and clearly in various situations. Mastering this skill can help reduce stress and anxiety by decreasing internalized emotions or passive behaviors that result from avoidance behaviors. Being assertive can help increase their confidence and self-worth with family, friends, and acquaintances. Incorporating assertive activities into your therapy sessions can emphasize that this is an empowering step, moving closer to improving their emotional well-being. Keep reading to learn 8 assertive communication activities you can do with your clients in counseling sessions.
Additionally, assertiveness skills can improve relationships, communication, and promote emotional regulation. Suppose you would like to learn more about how assertiveness activities can be a helpful tool for clients. In that case, we encourage you to explore available continuing education and training experiences within your niche.
TherapyByPro is a trusted resource for mental health professionals worldwide. Our therapy tools are designed with one mission in mind: to save you time and help you focus on what truly matters-your clients. Every worksheet, counseling script, and therapy poster in our shop is professionally crafted to simplify your workflow, enhance your sessions, reduce stress, and most of all, help your clients.
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Resources:
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2024b, January 20). Stressed out? Be assertive. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/assertive/art-20044644
