CHAPTER 4
Skill Set Two: Skills That Build Trust
One afternoon, a young woman came to my (Matthew Russell’s) outpatient practice with signs of an upper respiratory infection: runny nose, mild fever, cough, and scratchy throat. After examining her, I confirmed the diagnosis and started talking with her about over-the-counter medications that could provide some relief. The young woman didn’t take kindly to my suggestions. No matter what I offered—even recommendations such as gargling with salt water—she frowned. At one point, she was looking at me so doubtfully that I began to wonder if I had a poppy seed or piece of spinach in my teeth. I finally asked her, “Am I missing something?”
She replied, “Well, I have AIDS.”
This patient had visited our ...
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