Understanding Assertiveness Training

Dr. Purushothaman
September 30, 2013

If you have problems making your voice heard, or if you feel as if your needs are never met, then assertiveness training may be right for you. Assertiveness training can give you the confidence to speak in an authoritative way and to make people stand up and take notice. Assertiveness training is not about learning to be aggressive, but is instead about learning to express yourself in a healthy and positive way, and in a way that moves people to respect you.

Why Do You Need Assertiveness Training?

There are many reasons people fail to assert themselves in both a strong and positive manner. They may never have been taught the value of good communication skills or that their needs and opinions mattered. They may have been told growing up to just be quiet and do as they were told and never received positive reinforcement when they tried to speak out. They may have entered into a self-destructive pattern where they focus too much on pleasing others and making sure the needs of others are met and not enough on their own internal needs.

Assertiveness training isn't just for people afraid to stand up for themselves though. It is also an option for people who tend to come across as harsh when they do express their needs. Being belligerent, demanding or bullying is just as much of a problem as being overly subservient or unable to express feelings at all. Hostility and aggressive behavior can poison relationships and can backfire, making it impossible to achieve a desired aim.

In both of these different types of scenarios, assertiveness training can help to make a positive change. Assertiveness training involves learning about two essential factors that must work together: the courage to speak your mind and consideration for others around you.

How Does Assertiveness Training Work?

Assertiveness training helps you get to the root of your problems regarding effectively expressing your needs, and helps you to come up with positive changes to your behavior that can result in more successful interactions in the future

With the help of knowledgeable experts, you will develop a deeper understanding of yourself that can assist you to cope with your communication challenges head-on in a proactive manner. People who have achieved a higher level of self-realization and who can understand and define their needs are better equipped to communicate those needs, and assertiveness training is all about developing a deeper level of self-knowledge.

Assertiveness training also involves learning how to interpret situations accurately and to understand why and how communication occurred as it did. Being able to learn how to review failed communication situations objectively, rather than through an emotional lens, is the key to learning how to do better in the future.

When you are equipped with the important skills necessary to assert yourself in the right ways, it can literally change your life. Assertiveness training, therefore, maybe the first step towards a better and healthier tomorrow in which your relationships are stronger, your interactions more positive, and your needs and opinions respected.

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