Assertiveness Skills and Techniques: Setting Boundaries and Living Authentically
Channel: Doc Snipes
Date: 2018-03-23

Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes provides tips for developing assertiveness skills and discusses why assertiveness skills are an important part of depression treatment and anxiety treatment.  
📢SUBSCRIBE and click the BELL to get notified when new videos are uploaded. 
💲 AllCEUs.com Unlimited continuing education CEUs $59 
💻 Online course based on this video can be found at https://allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/1479/c/
⭐ Specialty Certificate Programs for Case Management and Counselor Certification beginning at $89 https://AllCEUs.com/certificate-tracks

Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAE3JJi8tX7gfhZEXCUGd_A/join

NOTE:  ALL VIDEOS are for educational purposes only and are NOT a replacement for medical advice or counseling from a licensed professional.

Video by Dr. Dawn Elise Snipes on integrative behavioral health approaches  including counseling techniques and skills for improving mental health and reducing mental illness.

AllCEUs.com provides multimedia counselor education and CEUs for LPCs, LMHCs, LMFTs and LCSWs as well as addiction counselor precertification training and continuing education on many of the videos on this channel.  Unlike other providers like CE4Less, AllCEUs includes a weekly LIVE Stream Webinar with your unlimited continuing education and professional development membership.

#assertiveness #communicationskills #boundaries #relationshipskills

Assertiveness Skills
Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes
Executive Director, AllCEUs
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox and Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Objectives
 Define Assertiveness
 Overcoming the Stress Barrier
 Overcoming the Social Barrier
 Overcoming the Belief Barrier
 Reality Check
 Nonverbal behavior
 Giving your opinion
 Giving constructive (not critical) feedback
 Making requests without trying to control
What is Assertiveness
 Assertiveness means stating your feelings, wants and needs 
 Clearly
 With ownership
 With conviction…. (but…I don’t know…)
 Assertive behavior may not be appropriate in all workplaces. Some organizational and national cultures may view assertive behavior as rude or even offensive.
 Research has also suggested that gender can have a bearing on how assertive behavior is perceived, with men more likely to be rewarded for being assertive than women. 
Advantages of Assertiveness
 Assertiveness helps us feel good about ourselves and others
 Assertiveness leads to the development of mutual respect with others
 Assertiveness increases our self-esteem
 Assertiveness helps us achieve our goals

Why Not Be Assertive?
 Failure to be assertive stems from:
 Prior efforts to be assertive being punished
 Fear of rejection
 Need for external validation
 Assertiveness requires
 Confidence
 Emotional control
 Effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills

Staying Calm...
6 Characteristics of Assertiveness
 Eye contact: Demonstrates interest, shows sincerity
 Body posture: Congruent body language will improve the significance of the message
 Gestures: Appropriate gestures help to add emphasis
 Voice: A level, well modulated tone is more convincing and acceptable, and is not intimidating
 Timing: Use your judgement to maximize receptivity and impact
 Content: How, where and when you choose to comment is probably more important than 

Techniques for Becoming Assertive
 Behavioral rehearsal

 Assertive
 Know your human needs
 Biological needs
 Safety and security
 Creation, participation, contribution
 Love, belonging, understanding, significance
 Self-Esteem, growth, autonomy
 Pay special attention to those universal needs that you think are not important to you.
 Explore if you are using self-deception or denial and why (I didn’t want that promotion anyway.)
 Connect your severe negative emotions (anger, anxiety, depression, envy etc.) to the fear 
Steps to Being Assertive
 Identify areas where you are and are not assertive.
Steps to Being Assertive
 Face your fears and practice being assertive with moderate self-exposure
 Example of practicing assertiveness with the opposite sex:r
 Develop your social skills to improve your self-confidence
 Read 10 different books in an area where you are not assertive
 Join a public speaking course, if you’re terrified of public appearances
 Practice negotiating with a friend, if you’re afraid of heated discussions
 Learn how to manage difficult people and conflict resolution skills

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Introduction
1:15 Objectives
2:20 What is Assertiveness
5:15 Advantages of Assertiveness
8:16 Why is Assertiveness Important
11:45 The Stress Barrier: Fight, Flee or Freeze
14:50 The Social Barrier
18:02 The Belief Barrier
22:30 Why Not Be Assertive?
33:05 Assertive Behaviors
43:55 I Statements
44:39 Techniques for Becoming Assertive
47:24 Nonverbals
52:10 Constructive Feedback
56:14 Say "No"
59:20 Group Activities