Course Description

Have you ever been blindsided by an unhappy employee and didn’t know what to say? Have you ever had a mad parent screaming in your face? How do you handle these challenging conversations? Well, we can use Verbal Judo. 

Verbal Judo is a communication technique developed by George J. Thompson, a former English professor and martial artist. It emphasizes using words effectively to de-escalate conflicts, generate cooperation, and achieve positive outcomes in interpersonal interactions. 

This course will focus on the core principles of Verbal Judo which include empathy, respect, active listening, and redirecting negative energy into constructive dialogue. It's particularly valuable in professions where effective communication is crucial, such as law
enforcement, healthcare, education, and customer service.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

1. List 6 reasons why effective communication in private practice is essential.
2. Identify the Core Principles of Verbal Judo (Respect and empathy, Active listening and empathy, Defusing and de-escalating conflicts & redirecting negative energy into positive outcomes).
3. Describe the 5 goals of implementing Verbal Judo in their SLP practices.
4. Video examples will be presented so that participants can analyze different conflicts whether within a therapy session or during their leadership role as a business owner.
5. Video examples will be presented so that participants can analyze when dealing with an unhappy employee.
6. Following the course, participants will be able to summarize and train their own staff in Verbal Judo principles and techniques.

Timed Agenda

• 0-15 min - 15 minutes – Introduction to Verbal Judo: Origins and relevance to SLP practice
• 15-35 min -  20 minutes – Core Principles of Verbal Judo: Respect, empathy, and active listening
• 35-55 min - 20 minutes – Application in Clinical and Administrative Settings: Therapy room, parent interactions, and staff conflicts
• 55-70 min - 15 minutes – The 5 Goals of Verbal Judo in Private Practice
• 70-95 min - 25 minutes – Case Videos and Analysis: Conflict resolution examples in therapy and supervision
• 95-110 min - 15 minutes – Reflective Prompts
• 110-120 min - 10 minutes – Training Your Team: How to teach Verbal Judo techniques to your staff
• TOTAL: 120 minutes