On the initial visit to the mental health clinic, a client describes changes since marriage, including a spouse's gambling and job loss. Which nursing statement would be therapeutic?

On the initial visit to the mental health clinic, a client describes changes since marriage, including a spouse's gambling and job loss. Which nursing statement would be therapeutic?

• A. That sounds like you've had a lot of changes.
• B. It seems you both have been struggling for some time.
• C. Would you like to have him come in with you to talk with me about all of this?
• D. I'd like to work with you alone.

Answer: (C)

Inviting the spouse to join the session with you, with the patient’s permission, embodies therapeutic communication that engages the support system to understand and address the stressors affecting the client. By offering to include the spouse, the nurse signals openness, collaboration, and a focus on real-world resources—the spouse’s gambling and job loss are not just individual issues but marital stressors that can impact mental health and treatment. This approach helps assess family dynamics, safety, coping strategies, and how the couple might work together to move toward stability, while still honoring the patient’s autonomy and confidentiality. Other options fall short because they don’t actively involve the support person or respect the patient’s control over disclosure and who is present. Simply acknowledging changes can feel impersonal; suggesting that both are struggling casts the situation in a negative light without offering a path forward; and stating a preference to work alone misses a valuable opportunity to mobilize a supportive network that can aid recovery.

Inviting the spouse to join the session with you, with the patient’s permission, embodies therapeutic communication that engages the support system to understand and address the stressors affecting the client. By offering to include the spouse, the nurse signals openness, collaboration, and a focus on real-world resources—the spouse’s gambling and job loss are not just individual issues but marital stressors that can impact mental health and treatment. This approach helps assess family dynamics, safety, coping strategies, and how the couple might work together to move toward stability, while still honoring the patient’s autonomy and confidentiality.

Other options fall short because they don’t actively involve the support person or respect the patient’s control over disclosure and who is present. Simply acknowledging changes can feel impersonal; suggesting that both are struggling casts the situation in a negative light without offering a path forward; and stating a preference to work alone misses a valuable opportunity to mobilize a supportive network that can aid recovery.