Take a deep breath.

Before you go into any family meeting, before you enter any critical conversation: take a deep breath. Check in with yourself and take your own emotional temperature. Are you boiling over? Are you upset, or angry, or frustrated?

Just as overpowering emotions can cloud cognitive processing in your patients and their loved ones, so too can they cloud your ability to listen and respond with curiosity. Take a deep breath and name your emotions. Allow yourself to be human before going in.