Nurses have an important role in providing high-quality care to meet the needs of diverse populations, including people with mental health issues. Developing rapport is essential for engaging with service users and promoting a person-centred approach in the context of mental health care. However, in practice this may not always come naturally to all nurses. In this article, the author discusses several evidence-based methods for effective communication with people who have mental health issues, such as making a good introduction, active listening, using open questions, using silence and being aware of body language. The author also explains how nurses can communicate compassionately, demonstrate cultural sensitivity and develop trust within a therapeutic relationship, thereby enabling them to effectively explore service users’ thoughts, feelings and needs.