Reflection Paper Instructions
The goal of reflective journaling is to interact with new information that is particularly meaningful to you
and to identify resources that will be help you enhance your interpersonal communication skills. As you
engage in the assigned readings each week, make note of insights and understanding that emerge and
that shed light on the particular communication needs, challenges, barriers, weaknesses, strengths,
opportunities, etc. that exist in your interpersonal—personal and/or professional—context.
You will write a total of four reflection papers in this course. Begin each paper with a specific reference
or a quote from the week’s assigned readings. Use this reference to anchor your reflections on a
personally meaningful topic in first person while drawing upon and synthesizing a variety of course
materials. Compare, contrast, or discuss various views on the topic articulated by different authors. The
emphasis should be on self-reflecting, however, not merely summarizing or critiquing what you read.
Consider the impact of your behavioral blend/personality. Examine insights about yourself, your
communication style, and your relationships from the perspective of a biblical worldview and your faith
journey. Note that duplicating or significantly repeating discussion board posts is unacceptable.
Each paper should be between 400 and 500 words long. The content should be engaging, substantive,
and interesting. It should be written in a focused and concise manner and be well organized with a logic
progression of ideas and transitions that are clear and maintain flow of thought. Submit as a Word
document, formatted according to current APA style (double-spaced throughout, first line in each new
paragraph indented, but without any extra space before a new paragraph, etc.), free of grammar,
spelling, and other writing errors. A title page with a title that summarizes your topic is expected, but an
abstract is not needed. Use APA style for both in-text citations and the reference page, while making
sure references correspond and are correct.
You MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I
want written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have to.
You MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I
want written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have to
You MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I
want written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have to
You MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I
want written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have to
You MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I
want written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have to
You MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I
want written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have toYou MUST own the
textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I want written is about
passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have toYou MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls
and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I want written is about passive voice. You can
write in your voice if you have toYou MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer
reviewed journal entries.The essay I want written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if
you have toYou MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal
entries.The essay I want written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have toYou
MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I want
written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have toYou MUST own the textbook
Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I want written is about passive
voice. You can write in your voice if you have toYou MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a
couple peer reviewed journal entries.The essay I want written is about passive voice. You can write in
your voice if you have toYou MUST own the textbook Bridges not walls and a couple peer reviewed
journal entries.The essay I want written is about passive voice. You can write in your voice if you have to
Running head: REFLECTIVE ESSAY: BRIDGES NOT WALLS 1
Reflective Essay: Bridges Not Walls
Student’s Name:
Institutional Affiliation:
REFLECTIVE ESSAY: BRIDGES NOT WALLS 2
Reflective Essay: Bridges Not Walls
The importance of effective communication in maintaining interpersonal relationships
cannot be stressed enough. Healthy human relationships; be it with family, friends, spouses, and
colleagues are largely dependent on the quality of communication between the people
interacting. Lack of proper communication may result in conflict or dysfunctional relationships
for people who interact regularly. Within the bible in the book of proverbs chapter 21: 23 it also
states this emphasizing on the need to keep guard of the mouth and the tongue in general it is
referring to communication. The book “Bridges Not walls” is about interpersonal
communication, combining the works of 48 different authors laying out the foundations of
interpersonal communication. The book seeks to inform the readers on how meaningful and
healthy relationships could be formed and maintained through quality communication hence the
title, Bridges Not Walls. This essay shall reflect on the main ideas in the book Bridges Not Walls
as compiled by the author, John Stewart, while comparing the concepts within the book to those
of Simon in “The Disciplined Heart: Love, Destiny & Imagination” to see how the ideas
compliment or contrast each other.
Bridges Not Walls defines communication as the continuous, collaborative process that
utilizes both verbal and non-verbal ques make some meaning. The book contains twelve chapters
that place emphasis on how people can use communication to improve the quality of the life they
live. Most people live stressful lives due to lack of capacity to deal with toxic environments that
may drain one’s self-worth. Readers are provided with the means to cope with hurtful messages
and handle issues such as heart breaks amicably with minimal hurt or grudges held. This indeed
compliments Stewart’s argument that one’s quality of life is directly connected to one’s quality
REFLECTIVE ESSAY: BRIDGES NOT WALLS 3
of communication (Stewart, 1995). These ideas of basic elements of communication are held
within the early chapters of the book.
The book further emphasizes that individuals should be conscious of their values and
actions since they can influence communication. In most cases, communication can be more of
what is not said and done rather than what is actually said. For instance, an individual’s gestures,
posture, tone and facial expressions may communicate a different message to the recipient than
that what was being said by that individual (Stewart, 1995). It is therefore important for one to
ensure that they are aware of their own actions and values to ensure that they are in line with the
message that they want to put across.
The ideas and concepts shared within the book Bridges Not Walls closely relate to those
depicted by Simon in “The Disciplined Heart: Love, Destiny & Imagination.” In the book,
Simon reiterates on the importance of effective communication in maintaining interpersonal
relationships albeit suing different concepts and ideas. Simon focuses on two types of
communication that are used in interpersonal communication; defensive and supportive
communication.
Supportive communication uses techniques such as persuasiveness and empathy seeking
to achieve a specific goal within the message being communicated. Supportive communication
also seeks to bring change while maintaining strong relationships in times of conflict. It is
commonly applied in interpersonal relationships especially those that have a significant power
difference such as between employer and employee, teacher and student, and parent and child
(Simon, 1997). Defensive communication on the other hand is a type of communication that is
used in interpersonal relationships as well. Simon (1997) indicates that defensive communication
sets in when someone feels threatened by an individual’s message that is directed at them. The
REFLECTIVE ESSAY: BRIDGES NOT WALLS 4
message does not necessarily have to be verbal but also the tone, body language, intent and
implied meaning.
Despite being authored by different persons and having different concepts, it is evident
that both books put their emphasis on the value and importance of effective communication.
Quality communication is integral n ensuring peaceful coexistence among people and that
people, through communication, build bridges that bring them closer together and not walls that
cast them further apart.
REFLECTIVE ESSAY: BRIDGES NOT WALLS 5
References
Simon J. Caroline. (1997). The Disciplined Heart: Love, Destiny & Imagination. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Stewart, J. (1995). Bridges not walls; a book about interpersonal communication. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
