Session 5: Coping Strategies – Communication
SMART goal: By the end of the eight-hour sessions, the group will be able to identify at least three new coping skills to alleviate maternal depression.
Objective 1: Introduce multiple coping skills with role plays
Objective 2: Hold group discussion throughout the session about how group members plan to use coping skills outside of the group
Agenda: 50-minute session with a 10-minute break
Ice breaker~ 5 minutes
Communication educational~10 minutes
Roleplay~20 minutes
Communication discussion~10 minutes
Sticky note activity~5 minutes
Lesson plan:
Ice breaker:
Ask for a volunteer from the group to begin the game by coming up with a phrase to whisper to the person to their right. This action should be repeated until everyone in the group has received and passed on the phrase. The person who began the game should share out the final phrase to see if it has changed at any point along the chain of communication.
Communication educational:
This session will be focused on communications with partners.
Can anyone explain what is meant by having “good communication” with a partner? (Ask if any participants would like to share with the group).
Having good communication with a partner means that both parties are heard and validated.
Communication with partners is prevalent in creating an environment where each person feels heard and understood. Effective communication includes being present when communicating with your partner. Give full attention and do not have distractions when participating in a conversation. Furthermore, when listening, listen actively, and ask questions if in need of clarification. Validation is extremely important when participating in a conversation with a partner or with anyone (Cao et al., 2021). Let your partner know that their voice is heard and know that there may be differences in opinion. By creating good communication skills, a stronger and healthier relationship can be made. Creating good communication skills may also improve one’s mental health and may allow partners of someone experiencing maternal depression to better understand what they may be going through. Most importantly, being honest in a conversation can be extremely effective in creating a positive relationship.
Roleplay:
Give participants the prompt below:
- You are a couple and have a child together. You have a disagreement. You are frustrated and are having a hard time communicating with your husband. Act out a conversation where you discuss communication skills learned in the educational in order to solve the disagreement.
Have participants get into groups of 2. Give participants 5-7 minutes in order to come up with a scenario. Use the remainder of the time in this activity to go around and have participants share their roleplay in front of the group.
Communication discussion:
- What is the most challenging part about having conversations with your partner?
- What strategy do you most often use in a hard conversation?
- Do you have any questions about the role-play or the educational?
Sticky note activity:
Each participant should write questions they have about maternal depression on a sticky note and place it in the designated bucket/bowl/hat.
Materials:
Sticky notepad, writing utensils.
References:
Cao, J., Gallis, J. A., Ali, M., Lillie, M., Abubakr-Bibilazu, S., Adam, H., McEwan, E., Awoonor-Williams, J. K., Hembling, J., & Baumgartner, J. N. (2021). The impact of a maternal mental health intervention on intimate partner violence in Northern Ghana and the mediating roles of social support and couple communication: secondary analysis of a cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1–13.