Building Trust and Rapport
Building trust and rapport is the foundation of culturally attuned care—without it, even the most skilled clinician and well-designed interventions will fall short. In-home care means stepping into a family's sacred space, and that requires humility, respect, and a genuine commitment to seeing, hearing, and valuing them. Families are the experts in their own stories, and it is a privilege to share space with them. Trust is not given freely—it’s built through consistent, respectful, and bi-directional engagement, where both clinician and family learn from one another.
Setting the Tone
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First impressions matter! In-home care means stepping into a client’s personal space, where trust isn’t automatic. Your presence can feel like support—or intrusion—depending on how you approach it.
Before you step inside, take a breath, trust your skills, and show up warmly and authentically. Your first session is a chance to:
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Respect their space and ease into their routines.
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Build trust through cultural humility and a nonjudgmental presence.
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Acknowledge hesitations and normalize any discomfort.
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Clarify expectations for roles, communication, and structure.
The way you enter a home shapes everything that follows. Approach with care, and connection will follow.
Best Practices in Setting the Tone
Respect the Home
Wait to be invited in by your client then ask directly, "where would you feel the most comfortable meeting?"
Warmly Introduce Yourself
Use a warm yet professional introduction, explain your role, and scope of services.
Acknowledge Vulnerability
Don't shy away from discussing the vulnerability it takes to allow someone into your home. This helps your client feel seen.
How to Build Trust and Engagement
Navigating Resistant Clients
It’s easy to label clients as “resistant” when they don’t follow the goals or expectations we’ve set, but that mindset is rigid and closed-off. Culturally attuned care requires flexibility—instead of seeing resistance as refusal, recognize it as self-protection and a sign that trust is still being built. It doesn’t mean engagement is impossible; it means the client may need more time to feel safe. Opening up is hard, especially for those who have experienced systemic harm or unhelpful past interventions. Shifting our approach from “Why won’t they engage?” to “What do they need to feel safe enough to?”makes all the difference.
Normalize and Address Resistance
Validate their concerns instead of minimizing them. Address hesitation without pressure. Make space for their story.
You can say:
"I can sense you may feel protective, I get it- many people feel the same way at first."
Shift Power
& Collaborate
Offer choices instead of directives. Involve them in goal-setting rather than imposing a plan. Reinforce that they are experts in their own lives.
You can say:
"What headspace are you in today? We can just share space or talk about something that feels most useful for you?"
Provide Reframe
for Empowerment
Help them see their resistance as self-advocacy, not failure. Reflect that their caution and questioning are valid. Reinforce the idea that they are in control of their engagement.
You can say:
"You've protected yourself for so long and look how far you've come. Can you a bit about that?"
Honor Humanity
Use Humor
When appropriate use light humor to make engagement feel less intimidating. Be authentic and relatability through small personal disclosures. Use casual conversation starters before jumping into heavy topics
