Part 1 Theoretical foundations: communication - the basis of interaction - non-verbal communciation, verbal communication, understanding the music of a message, the networks, the challenge of interaction, a systemic interactional perspective; socialization - the process which produces our personhood and world view - a cultural overview, primary and secondary socialization, social role, the socialization of health professionals, values, attitudes and beliefs, interpersonal perception; the self - a person's view of her own unique being - the social self, the true and false self, the actual self and the ideal self, self-esteem, self-awareness, self-accpetance and acceptance of others, self-disclosure; the reality of change - life-cycle changes, activating change, what makes a change agent?, roles the change agent may use, systems theory, stages of change, concepts of change, working towards change, resistance to change. Part 2 Interaction strategies: the challenge of listening - how to read the music of the message - sympathy vesus empathy, listening skills, how to respond using reflective listening skills, examples, manipulation and facilitation; assertiveness - how to say it straight without hurting others - recognizing types of behavour, assertive behaviour and the influence of beliefs, modeling and behavioural rehearsal, ways of acting assertively; crisis - loss and adaptation - fear and anxiety, coping mechanisms, dealing with stress, unexpected crisis, Caplan's crisis circle, the Kubler-Ross crisis model; problem-solving - getting rid of the obstacles to decision-making, change and growth - defining problems, sets in the problem-solving process, problem-solving in health care, thinking and problem-solving, influences on probelm-solving, blocks to problem-solving, how to help others problem-solve; management - the art of getting things done - the use of power, Kohlberg's stages of moral development; what is leadership?, the difficult task of the middle manager, working with a small group, interviewing, accepting and coping with conflict, a manager's lot; a succinct summary.