This course will equip participants with preventative and interventional strategies for a variety of challenging interactions with patients, including unmet expectations and/or high emotion. We will start with a review of the intrapersonal, relational, and systemic contributors to frustrations within a patient encounter and apply mindful strategies to support our own well-being and success as clinicians. We will review foundational tools for relationship-centers communication which have been shown to make patient encounters more effective and rewarding for both parties, with emphasis on skills that are most effective in high-friction engagements. Given the rise in disrespectful and offensive conduct by patients toward the healthcare team, we will also review and practice skills to respectfully set boundaries and to rebuild trust when possible.